Harm Reduction vs. Full Recovery for Eating Disorder

as for harm reduction, full stopping any weight loss/losing weight extremely slowly will be your best bet. regularly seeing your doctor and getting routine bloodwork/EKGs/echos and being honest with a treatment team (dietitian, therapist, psychiatrist, primary) about where you’re at with your disorder has great benefits if recovery isn’t possible for you right now. medication, supplementation for any deficiencies, and trying to eat all of the food groups and maintain the closest you can to balanced, hearty meals will keep your health from deteriorating as rapidly. if you purge, completely stopping that as soon as possible as well

the most you can do when attempting to be a “functional” anorexic (which imo, is nearly impossible), is to fully stop losing weight — learn to live with the disordered thoughts and not letting them control you. it’s really about compromise; not letting it affect your relationships, job ethic, or energy levels (which is extremely difficult especially if you’re underweight/have medical issues linked with AN) i was in the exact same boat as you before i attempted treatment inpatient. i never believed i could live a life without the hatred i had for myself and i didn’t see the point in trying, the fear controlled me, and i couldn’t see it at the time but my ED had completely consumed me i never thought i would go so far as to nearly kill myself. i always said “that's not me”, “i’m not like them”, “i’m not that bad.” what control i thought i had was an illusion i'm shocked how far i've come on some of my ed perspectives in just a few months, but everyone is different and i definitely have thoughts i don't imagine i'll ever be able to change and honestly even though recovery isn't working out for me right now, i've taken things i've learned from it into my actions and hopefully someday things will add up and recovery will be fully possible anorexia is so hard to even challenge let alone completely kick out, but the right amount of motivation can go a long way. full recovery can take a lot of time and its extremely painful but will always be worth it. i believe it’s possible for absolutely anyone