When you know that your loved one is going through a behavioral eating problem, it’s only natural to help them cope up with their struggle. It’s crucial to understand how important it is to act supportive in any way that you can, so you can give the best support.
Keep in mind that you’re already doing your best by searching for ways to help them get through the situation. It only shows how much you care for them and will immensely help you understand what they’re going through. But how can you support your loved ones in other ways?
Helping your loved one get through an eating disorder
There are several ways you can show your support while they’re in an anorexia treatment facility. One of the ways to help them is to try your best to get them involved in activities. There’s a possibility that they might choose to be alone or prefer not to join in any of the events. During these times, It’s best to speak with them and try to see if you can encourage them to join. Even if it wouldn’t be successful at first, they’ll still likely appreciate the fact that you reached out to them. Doing so will make them feel that they’re valued.
Another way to help them is by building up their confidence. In most behavioral eating problems, its development often results from a person’s poor self-esteem. Telling them how an awesome person they are will help them build their confidence.
Lastly, give them your time. Try to listen to what your loved one has to say and never judge them for it. It’s crucial to keep an open mind about things even if you don’t agree with what they say. It’ll be hard, especially if you have different views about certain things. But make sure that you always make them feel your presence even if you don’t share the same perspective. It’ll make the process much more comfortable if they know that you’re always there for them.
Ways to treat eating disorders
There are various ways to treat eating disorders, depending on the type. But it often involves talk therapy to help professionals understand the behavior. Often, this kind of treatment helps patients recover from eating disorders much easier, apart from assisting them in putting on weight as well as with their diet.
Again, your loved one will talk to a therapist about their feelings and emotions, which led them to develop such a problem. As they go through the program, they’ll learn of alternative ways to get through their feelings more healthily. It’ll also help them work with their passions through a self-help program.
Going through an eating disorder is a difficult situation. That’s why you need to let your friend or relative feel that you’re always there for them no matter what happens. There will be a lot of challenges along the way. But as long as you make them feel that they’re not alone, then they’ll surely recover from it.
