Things to Discourage Destructive Eating Behaviors

[I][COLOR=Black][FONT=Georgia]I recently came across a list of suggestions that could prove helpful, especially (I thought) to those of us who have binges, or purge, overexercise and know we need to/want to stop... or anyone here who just needs something to do sometimes to deter themselves from acting upon the impulses.
Obviously, not everything on it will work for you and the same things will not work for everyone. So maybe just pick and choose what is most helpful to you. Some of these choices are kinda difficult in my opinion so you might want to discuss them with your therapist or support person, etc. As we all probably know (but still have a hard time following what we know is logical) recovery is not a process that can be walked through alone. So, hopefully we wont be afraid to reach out for help. Anyways,


Write in your Journal

Listen to your favorite music

Watch a sunset

Color in a coloring book

Play your favorite instrument

Tell one person how you feel

Teach a child to play a game

Learn a new game yourself

Pop or stomp on bubble-wrap

Have a water balloon fight

Angrily shoot a water gun until you feel better

Have a water gun fight with someone

Paint a picture

Go to the pet store

Take a long hot bath

Go berry picking

Hug someone/something

Take a long drive

Pack up some clothes for charity

Go to a concert

Take a leisurely walk

Rent your favorite movie

Take a trip to the toy store

Go to a movie by yourself

Call an old friend

Finger-paint, Doodle

Build with blocks/legos. Build a tower and knock it down

Spend time with your pet

Wash your car (alone or with a friend)

Pick dandelions

Play Hopscotch

Have a snowball fight with someone

Paint a Room in your house

Read a book

Take a "vacation" to somewhere you havent been in a long time

Take a nap

Count and roll loose change

Throw nerf balls, koosh balls or bean-bags at a wall

Remind Yourself "It'll be Ok"

Take a deep breath, count to 10 (or 20, or 100 if it takes longer)

Ask your therapist to make a tape with you that you can use during difficult times

Go to a favorite "safe" location (beach, park, woods, playground, etc.)

Think of advice you'd give someone else... and take it!

Say something good about yourself

Use Self Affirmation tapes and books... and make your own affirmations (use notebooks, index cards, tapes, post-it notes, journal)

Meditate, use Relaxation

Call a Hotline

Have a pillow fight or punch a pillow

Do gardening or housecleaning

Play your favorite game as a child

Spend time with a sibling

Hold and/or tell your favorite stuffed animal or doll your feelings

Find an AOL or e-mail pal or join a chatroom for support

Stay in touch with others through contact - don't isolate yourself

Listen to relaxation tapes

Make a mourning wreath (start with black flowers and replace with colored ones)

Repetitive reality checking ("It's January 31, 2001, and I'm going to be OK")

Negotiate with yourself

Get to know others

Recognize and acknowledge the choices you have NOW

Offer options

Carry tokens to remind you of peaceful comforting people/things

Create and use mental safe places (the beach, a cabin in the woods, etc.)

Get out on your own, get away from stress

Help someone around you

Pay attention to the changes needed to make you feel safe

Count yourself down (10...9...8...7..)

Take a different perspective (different vantage point)

"I'm aware" repeat 5 things that you see, smell, touch, taste in your present surroundings to help ground you in the present

Pay attention to your breathing/Practice relaxing breathing patterns

Pay attention to the rhythmic motions of your body

Move to music

ASK FOR HELP

Ask yourself inside, what YOU need

Journal

Make affirmation tapes inside you that are good, kind, gentle (reverse the negative thoughts and physically rewrite them into positive statements

Touch something familiar/safe

Draw

Put your feet firmly on the floor

Research something new that you always wanted to know more about

Get and give a gift for a friend

Meditate

Make a phone list of people you can call for help and support, and allow yourself to use it

Learn HALT signals (Hungry, angry, lonely, tired)

Identify what is causing you the pain (other than the food)

Accept where you are in the process.

(Beating yourself up only makes it worse)

Do something FUN!

Take a break from mental processing

Take a SAFE risk

Tear up paper

Honor your present anger

Throw ice cubes at a tree, bathtub wall, etc.

Give yourself permission to.... (Keep it safe)

Lose the "would-could-have to" words.

Try "what if"

write down then rearrange your daytime routines to get out of a rut

Choose your way of thinking, try to resist following old thinking patterns

Put memories in air tight containers with air tight lids

Notice black and white thinking

Notice "choices" versus "dilemmas"

Keep in touch with others who are fighting the same fight

Make yourself as comfortable as possible (without using food)

Color in coloring books

Give yourself a facial

Write a poem

Leave the room

Leave the premises

Write a letter, NOT mailed, to the person or problem upsetting you

Plan regular activities for your most difficult time of day

Listen to a comedy tape of video

Reality check old messages

Get out a fine tooth come and vigorously brush the fur of a stuffed animal (use gentle vigor)

Pull weeds in the garden

Plant flowers

Go to the library

Take your dog for a walk

I think probably the best way to use this list is to print it out and keep it handy. I just started using the list and have it on my fridge. If you can't keep it out where you are worried others might see it, keep it folded in your pocket or in a notebook at school, etc. Cause I know for me, when my eating disorder urges hit, Im usually easily overwhelmed and in this time cant think of anything else. So, if there's alternatives already written out, and on hand, all I have to do is remember to look at it. Ive found its helped ... If it will help even one of you, even one time... I will be happy. :bouncing: Hope it helps![/FONT][/COLOR][/I]