Finding Hobbies that Support Your Eating Disorder Recovery

Finding hobbies can be difficult when recovering from an eating disorder. Many individuals will say how intense and relieving the eating disorder can be as they are learning to separate him/herself from the disorder.

Learning new coping skills during recovery is an exciting process. It allows you to be able to discover new things about yourself, and find new hobbies that you may not have had before your eating disorder.

When relapse prevention planning, treatment teams talk about coping skills.

Often coping refers to how we deal when under psychological stress or change within our lives, to be able to maintain a stable mental and emotional health [1].

Stress can be both positive and negative, and coping skills are necessary for life to be able to adapt to changing life situations. Coping styles can vary from types that work on problem-solving, to others that work to help reduce stress. Coping can be either active or avoidant.

Types of Coping

Coping skills can either be appraisal focused, problem focused, and emotion focused [2]. Appraisal-focused coping skills are coping strategies that work to change or revise your thoughts that are negatively impacting you.

Often, working on identifying maladaptive negative thinking such as jumping to conclusions or all-or-nothing thinking is common and using tools such as a 7-Column thought log can help identify the facts and opinions within the faulty thinking.

Problem-focused coping skills are ones that work to change a person’s behavior that is negatively impacting their everyday life. With eating disorders, it could be working to eat lunch at a specific time, rather than skipping lunch. It could also be scheduling a meal date with friends at a challenging restaurant versus only dining at ‘safe’ establishments.

Emotion focused coping skills are ones that work to change the emotional response to cope with the stressor. Tools can include practices such as meditation, yoga, and relaxation and visualization tools.

Hobbies are Coping Skills

Hobbies can be anything you want them to be, as long as they are healthy and support your well-being and emotional health. Often within the eating disorder, all identity of genuine self can be lost and feel a bit empty.

When working on recovery, finding new hobbies or coping skills can be an intriguing process. It involves much trial and error until you find ones that suit your needs and personality.

Activities can fall into the coping styles and vary. Within emotion focused styles, you could engage in yoga practice.

There are many variations of yoga that you can take, and finding one that is more relaxing, and meditative or more active is a personal preference.

You may also find walking or hiking in nature is also relaxing and meditative, which may become a hobby that you find new trails and friends to go with you.

Hobbies that are appraisal focused can be ones that include social support. Gathering with others who are focused on recovery can help shift your thinking around your body, food, and even recovery. It can be helpful to have others help you identify when your thoughts might be more eating disordered, and work together to support each other.

Rediscovery

Part of this process is discovering who you are. Think about what you liked prior to your eating disorder and if those are the same or changed. Are there things that your peers do that you find interesting or want to try.

Also including skills learned in treatment. For example, you may find a new passion for art, or for meditation. You may feel that knitting has become a new hobby, or a group breakfast meet up once a week to help keep your recovery on track.

Learning new things about yourself can be fun. It is good to try new activities or adventures. Walking, hiking, cooking, or art may be a passion waiting for you.

Speaking to groups about your eating disorder recovery process, or volunteering may be another activity to try. Find things that you think sound interesting and then try it. If you do not like it, that’s okay.

You can keep trying until you find something that suits you. Getting involved in things that are beyond our own life is important. It can keep us grounded, remind us that we are all human with our struggles in which we work to recover.

You may have friends or family that may be unsure of your new search for hobbies that interest you. It is okay, be true to yourself and stay firm in knowing that you are looking to rediscover who you are without your eating disorder.

If unsure, talk with your treatment team about the viability of your hobby and other ideas. It can help to have outside conversations with individuals who can be objective.

In conclusion, working to discover new hobbies is a personal decision. Each sufferer is individual and unique so not all hobbies are one-size-fits-all.

Learning what coping styles work best for you, emotionally based, appraisal based, or problem-solving based can help you decide which hobbies might work best with your personality. Having hobbies that keep you focused on the bigger picture will help you stay in recovery.

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About the Author: Libby Lyons is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS). Libby has been practicing in the field of eating disorders, addictions, depression, anxiety and other comorbid issues in various agencies. Libby has previously worked as a contractor for the United States Air Force Domestic Violence Program, Saint Louis University Student Health and Counseling, Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute Eating Disorders Program, and has been in Private Practice.

Libby currently works as a counselor at Fontbonne University and is a Adjunct Professor at Saint Louis University, and is a contributing author for Addiction Hope and Eating Disorder Hope. Libby lives in the St. Louis area with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys spending time with her family, running, and watching movies.

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References:

[1]  “How Do You Cope?” News and Resources. UCLA Dual Diagnosis Program, n.d. Web. 25 June 2017. <https://www.semel.ucla.edu/dual-diagnosis-program/News_and_Resources/How_Do_You_Cope
[2]  “Stress and Coping Mechanisms – How the body responds to Stressors.” Explorable – Think Outside The Box – Research, Experiments, Psychology, Self-Help. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 June 2017. <https://explorable.com/stress-and-coping-mechanisms>.

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The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Published on September 7, 2017.
Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on September 7, 2017.
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com