Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch
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By: Jessica Johns-Green, MA, LPC What does the family you grew up in have to do with eating disorders later in life? Clients often recognize the difficulties in their families, but the eating disorder starts later on. Binge eating, bulimia and anorexia can be seen as another problem on top of the family issues you’ve […]
What does the family you grew up in have to do with eating disorders later in life? Clients often recognize the difficulties in their families, but the eating disorder starts later on. Binge eating, bulimia and anorexia can be seen as another problem on top of the family issues you’ve had to cope with, rather than an understandable outcome of the family dynamics. There may be more predictable links than you realize.
Understanding the specific dynamics in your family might be an important aspect of your personal growth or therapy work. But for now, when I refer to difficult or toxic family dynamics, it may be one, some or many of the following:
For more information on typical toxic family styles 7 Toxic Family Styles, Patrick Teahan
In reading the above list, it probably seems understandable that people who grew up in situations like those listed would have some issues to heal. But how do eating disorders fit in?
The Link Between Toxic Families and Eating DisordersWhat all the family issues on the list have in common are that they are overwhelming. There is an emotional overwhelming-ness to them, but it is important to also understand that the nervous system – our brain and it’s network of connections throughout the body – also become overwhelmed.
People, and children in particular, need a sense of connection and safety. When we don’t get that, our nervous system will go into alert – kind of like a fire alarm going off to warn of danger. This in itself is not a problem, because once the overwhelming thing is over the alarm switches off and we get on with life feeling normal again. But, in toxic families where the overwhelming situations are the norm, or where the people that should make us feel safe -our parents – are the ones who are making the alarm go off, we have to find another way to switch off, return to calm and normality.
The nervous system operates best within a zone of tolerance, cycling between action and rest. Alertness and calm. Trauma, toxic family dynamics send us far above the normal alert state and when the alarm doesn’t switch off our bodies will look for ways to detach, numb. We may even fight back, avoid or escape – mentally or physically.
How Food Behaviors Help Regulate and Can Lead To Eating DisordersFood is an accessible and easy way to accomplish all the survival strategies that cope with the dysfunction and the internal alarm system. When we’ve been too much in action/alert mode it doesn’t feel good, we’ll be drawn towards calming. Overeating, binging can encourage the nervous system to numb, to quiet the alarm. If we’ve been too numb, it also doesn’t feel good and we’ll seek to balance out. Restricting and purging (vomiting, laxative use, over-exercise) bring us up out of the numb state.
Food behavior probably doesn’t happen directly after a traumatic event with your family, although it might. Typically it doesn’t come about until we are old enough to make choices about our food, and it can worsen in adulthood during times of stress or when we notice similar patterns, even if we haven’t yet been able to identify those patterns yet. When food or restricting food works to lessen the overwhelming experience in life and in the nervous system, we are likely to return to it, especially if we are confused about why we feel this way and don’t have other, healthier ways to cope.
Struggling with your relationship with food and ready to find a way forward? Ready to heal and gain power over these kinds of issues? The therapists at The Center at Cinco Ranch can help! To begin counseling in Katy, TX follow these three steps:
Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including: counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, family therapy, and group counseling. Our therapists strive to regularly post blogs. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. To learn more about our therapists and our counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!
How social media affects your mental health is a question we should all be asking ourselves. Checking my social media has become as important as checking my emails. It’s a daily thing, and it is useful. But is there a point where social media is unhelpful, or even harmful? Increasingly, research is saying that there […]
How social media affects your mental health is a question we should all be asking ourselves. Checking my social media has become as important as checking my emails. It’s a daily thing, and it is useful. But is there a point where social media is unhelpful, or even harmful? Increasingly, research is saying that there is a destructive side to social media use that can impact our mental health.
Our mood and style of thinking work together. Sometimes for our benefit, and sometimes against us. One key hallmark of depression is hopelessness. There is no point, even to things that once made us happy. This style of thinking is thought to be influenced by neurobiological states that are commonly observed in depressed individuals. For instance, when thoughts are heavily biased towards negative, hopeless themes, people report feeling less able to work, engage in healthy relationships and take care of their physical needs.
Social media encourages comparison. However, not always healthy, realistic comparisons. All we see are people looking happy, doing great stuff or seeming very successful. It can feel like this is reality. That everyone is happy and finding success easily.
What we don’t see are the hidden truths. The photoshop edits, the failures, the crippling self doubt. But what if we did? People may experience less depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. A 2015 study found that 67% of young people questioned felt worse about their lives because of social media. Read more on the study here https://www.healio.com/news/psychiatry/20201005/social-media-use-may-play-important-role-in-youth-suicide-expert-says
In anxiety, the thought patterns activate the threat centers of our brain. This threat kicks off a chain reaction of physical and psychological events that we experience as anxiety or panic. Anxiety is often linked to the idea that something bad will happen. The feelings it creates in our bodies are the same kinds of feelings we would get if we were being chased by a tiger in the jungle. Only now there is no tiger. Instead, the threat is that we are not enough, we are not liked, we might fail, we might be rejected.
Moreover, social media provides a ready source for lots of things to worry about. As well as a trigger for the kinds of perfectionistic tendencies that regularly mess with our mental health. Read more about perfectionism here https://cincoranchcounseling.com/the-price-of-perfectionism-and-4-ways-to-set-yourself-free/ Social media is also a way to escape, avoid and numb feelings. Getting drawn into endless scrolling can be a way to temporarily calm the anxiety. Unfortunately, this escape strategy only makes the anxiety worse in the long run (see the last section of this blog for more on this topic).
Eating Disorders and Body ImageSocial media is a prime platform for diet culture to infiltrate your mind. From being sold quick fixes like diet teas, detox plans and supplements to workout routines from so-called professionals that promise the impossible. It is very challenging to remember while scrolling that much of what we see is contrived with lighting and angles, digital perfected, filtered or even flat-out fake. It’s no surprise that people struggling with an eating disorder are likely to be negatively affected by the information flowing to them through their feed. Read more on how social media influences eating disorders here https://clementineprograms.com/social-media-trigger-eating-disorder/
However, our friends with eating disorders are not the only ones suffering. A study by FHE Health found that 87% of women and 65% of men compare their bodies to the bodies they see on social media. And of those, 50% of women and 36% of men rated their bodies less favorably than the social media bodies. Read more on this study here https://fherehab.com/news/bodypositive/
All this comparison is unhealthy. It is unfair to what our bodies really are and how real bodies look. Many people are drawn into the diet culture and compare. The result? Often poor eating habits, mood problems, unhealthy relationships with food and weight gain.
Technology AddictionThe world can be a tough and confusing place. Our phones and social media provide an escape. When we feel anxious, our bodies will drive us to things that help numb, distract and escape. For example, some might escape through alcohol, food or shopping. Things that give a quick hit of nice feelings. We want to feel better, but without dealing with the anxiety itself, we become hooked on the quick hit of nice feelings.
Furthermore, social media, technology and smartphones can work in this same way. Rather than talk to others, be alone with our thoughts or deal with a difficult issue we’re facing we can scroll away, get drawn into the pictures, sounds and excitement of someone else, something else. In the long run, the quick hit of nice feelings becomes a problem in itself to overcome.
Is social media not the fun thing it use to be? Try these 3 approaches to rebalance your relationship with it:
Firstly, is seeing the stranger you follow with the impossibly thin waist and perfect round glutes making you feel better or worse? It’s not inspiration if it doesn’t leave you feeling hopeful, alive and worthy. Be brave enough to mute or unfollow. Good news is that not every page or influencer is about shaming and unrealistic standards. So, seek out the pages of people who are giving healthy messages. Not the quick fixes, body shame or starvation.
Secondly, take some time to be in the world, without a screen between you and everything. Leave the phone in your bag, pocket or even at home sometimes. It’s usually a healthy step to limit the amount of time spent on social media, particularly if your mood is struggling. Set yourself time limits. Use your phone’s timer to introduce balance.
Finally, ask yourself why! Understanding why you scroll is a valuable skill and a great step to a healthier relationship with social media. Are you bored? Procrastinating? Lonely? Is there something you’re looking for? Are you feeling relaxed or tense? Be more in tune with your motivations for scrolling. This will help you set new intentions leading to better mental health and wellness.
Are you ready to feel like your best self? The therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! We provide counseling for kids, adults, couples, and groups. To begin counseling in Katy, TX, follow these three steps:
Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch we offer counseling services in areas including: counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. Our therapists strive to regularly post blogs. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. To learn more about our therapists and our counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!
By: Jessica Johns-Green, LPC Unhealthy relationships with food and eating disorders are prevalent in our society. Mental health issues are also prevalent in our society with over 40 million adults diagnosed with anxiety every year. So have you ever wondered if you use food for comfort and to just deal? You’re driving home after a […]
Unhealthy relationships with food and eating disorders are prevalent in our society. Mental health issues are also prevalent in our society with over 40 million adults diagnosed with anxiety every year. So have you ever wondered if you use food for comfort and to just deal?
You’re driving home after a stressful day. On your way, you mull over the events of the day. The things that made you worried or angry. As you approach home, your mind becomes set on a big bowl of ice cream. Maybe two bowls.
I’m stressed. I’ll have a bowl of ice cream. Maybe two.
Ever been there? If so, this is typically a sign you are using food to cope with emotions. It makes you feel better to enjoy ice cream rather than think about the conflicts of the day. Ice cream reminds you of happy times, and for just a moment when you’re digging into your bowl, you forget.
When life feels unmanageable, we often use food as a tool to distract us, or soothe us, or sometimes even both.
Food and emotion are linked; however, not always in a negative way. People in every culture use food to celebrate, be near loved ones, feel comfort and mark big occasions. But for many people, the relationship with food can be difficult, and even destructive. Destructive relationships with food can often lead to eating disorders.
It can be challenging to identify eating disorders and other types of problematic food behaviors because they take many shapes. Some examples include under-eating, overeating, or a combination of both. And often, these kinds of problems can start with good intentions. It may be as innocent as a bowl of ice cream. However, if the bowl of ice cream is to deal with anxiety, then over time you may gain weight. Eventually, you begin to feel helpless about your struggles with eating and anxiety.
Maybe if I just ignore my emotions and eat the ice cream I will feel better.
Problematic eating habits can lead to mood and health problems. Although not all problematic eating habits will lead to an eating disorder, you can gain a better understanding of the types of areas of concern.
Eating disorders can be dangerous and potentially deadly. So, if you identify with any of these, reach out for help. It can feel overwhelming to begin to focus on the problem and finding solutions can feel impossible; however, you are not alone in the journey. If you need help, talk to a supportive friend, speak to your doctor or find a therapist. Therapy offers a place to deal with the emotional issues that drive these problems. Working with a therapist can help you to find confidence in your ability to cope and have a healthy relationship with food. At the Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we are here to help. You deserve to feel empowered, not helpless.
Please contact our office to discuss your therapy needs or arrange an initial consultation with Jessica.