Facing Fear Foods!
What are fear foods?
Fear foods are foods that people with eating disorders deem forbidden, and leading to an avoidance of it. Fear foods can be present in almost all eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, BED, ARFID, and EDNOS. But research determines that an important part of recovering from an eating disorder is reincorporating these fear foods.
How to Overcome Fear Foods:
Step 1: Make A List
Make a fear food hierarchy, including the absolute scariest foods down to foods that cause minor anxiety, putting it in a hierarchy of a sort.
Step 2: Exposures
Plan exposures. This will be incredibly scary at first. Eating cake the first time might instill a lot of fear, but as you repeat this process your brain will recognize that it actually isnt as scary as your eating disorder thinks! You can also use coping mechanisms during exposures (such as DBT skills) to make it a more relaxing environment.
Step 3: Check the Facts
Check the facts around fear foods. Your eating disorder may try to tell you that if you eat this one piece of cake, your partner will break up with you. So after you face the exposure, see if your prediction came true! Usually, the prediction does not come true.
Feel free to answer any or all of the below questions!
🧸 What are some of your scariest fear foods?
🧸 What is one fear food that youd like to overcome?
🧸 Are there any scary thoughts your eating disorder tells you about your fear food/the fear food you'd like to overcome?
🧸 Would you like to share anything else about fear foods?
@24Help1 @2ndOf7 @AddictedTealover98 @azuladragon34 @Blessedboy @charmingSky1384 @ClimbingForever1 @cuddlyKiwi43 @FunkyFlamingo @Goldcherry2113 @Happy900 @Hashib22 @MorgiePositive @Myself85 @OpheliacRose @parisayano @plantlover3 @PotatoSoup @resourcefulPond1641 @SammyLouise @sensitiveTree7818 @Shanna @SharpiePen @Tazzie @theheartproject @Traveller8 @turquoiseFriend2396 @youandmesohappily @greenShip8274 @understandingMoon3999 @blueberry712 @verawolf @SarcasticWoman2005 @greenfox3456 @Sydney113 @freehugs
@24Help1 I know, I know. I know it was the wrong word, but it kinda felt silly and stupid. But yes EDs are very irrational in their rules, always and forever. But still we try to fight it, and that's a good thing. But yes, I use that as a strategi sometimes. Looking at myself and seeing that I haven't gained a million pounds. Which is harder than it sounds, mostly bc sometimes I look at myself and I see more pounds on me than I actually weigh 
But I'm trying and that's what counts 
@aeris156
Something very interesting is that the more we try to restrict and avoid those foods we normally binge on, the more we're going to binge on it! So granting permission and facing those fears is absolutely amazing 
You got this!
@Goldcherry2113
Thank you for the kind words you shared It's very understandable that your eating disorder finds those foods scary, and when you face them maybe you can dispute some of the thoughts! Thank you for sharing!
