The HEALTHY SELF vs. EATING DISORDER SELF

The Healthy Self vs. Eating Disorder Self concept was a game-changer for me. The severity of our Eating Disorder is to the extent to which your Eating Disorder Self is in control.

There is a part of you that wants to get better, that knows (in theory) what to do, that knows how to eat, that at one time didn’t have an ED, that has good days (or good hours). This is your healthy Self

There is also a part of you that judges, lies, is impulsive, manipulative, fearful, controlling and strict.

When you can distinguish between these 2 voices and begin a dialogue between them, the stronger your Healthy Self becomes. I used to write out my dialogue before a binge would happen to hear what both sides were saying (I know this sounds crazy but it’s helpful). Often times my ED self still won the argument, but the more I did this the more I learned what it was really after. You learn to stand up to this internal bully. And you can always rise above the ED Self, because you created it in the first place. You slowly gave it its power, and you can slowly take it away.

The battle to get better is between these two selves. No one else can make you get better, the healthy self is ultimately who will heal you.

This concept is at the core of what I consider to be “The Holy Bible” of Recovery which is the book: The 8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder by Carolyn Costin. 

“No one can make you get better. The battle for recovery is not between you and me. It’s not between your eating disorder and anyone else. The battle you have to fight is get better is inside you. The battle you have to fight is between your healthy self and your eating disorder self” - Carolyn Costin.