Part Four:

Theoretical and Political Comments

Chapter Ten:

What To Do When You Are Discouraged

Chapter Description:

This chapter steps through each chapter and asks you how you feel and with which areas you are struggling. When you feel discouraged, read through each of these statements in order to determine which pages of the book need to be reviewed. Recovering from a food addiction is not as easy as other addictions. You can't just stop eating. Traditionally, substance abuse treatment programs preach abstinence. Recovering alcoholics count the number of days since their last drink. Treatment does not typically teach the person how to drink alcohol in moderation. The assumption is that the person is going to live without alcohol for the rest of their lives. I have been told that recovering from food related issues is exponentially more difficult than recovering from alcohol or drugs. So when you are discouraged, I want you to remember how difficult it is to find a healthy relationship with food. Be patient with yourself.

Notice that this book is dedicated to my patient-clients. Why? Because during the year that I piloted this program, my patient-clients taught me alot. They had the courage to come to class and be truthful as they discussed their embarrassment about what didn't work for them. They were able to finally understand the importance of being honest with themselves first. Struggling, making mistakes and feeling like a "failure" can help you better understand the fine details involved in controlling your impulse to eat, as long as you can re-focus yourself and start thinking. If they all wallowed in their self-disdain, there wouldn't have been a solution. Analyzing and dissecting diminishing progress is as important as attempting the exercises at all. So, when reading this book, always remember that each and every concept was developed after a patient-client told me that they had difficulty with "X" or that they had a really bad week when trying to attempt "Y". A huge premise of this book is that mistakes happen for a reason...you have to figure out what that reason is. Acceptance of mistakes or "failure" was an essential component in writing this book, so it is also an essential step in your own personal recovery. So stop criticizing yourself and start analyzing. The answer is inside you if you can just listen and look for it.

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