HOW DO YOU FEEL? Look at this sentence;- "I feel fat" What is REALLY going on? How do you REALLY feel? Learning to identify feelings and cope with them without letting them overwhelm you is an important step in the process of recovery. Stop for a second, and try to identify how you feel. Remember, 'FAT' isn't an emotion. How do you feel? Hurt? Lonely? Angry? Confused? What has caused that? Identifying feelings and what has precipitated that emotion is not easy, but with practice, it does become easier. Try writing a few sentences each evening about how your day was;- don't allow yourself to make any references to food or weight...see what you come up with. Go on...I dare you!  :)   What else could you use to cope with feelings other than abusing your body? Here are a few suggestions...it takes a long time to get used to coping in healthy ways, but it is possible. Paint, sing, dance, write, do anything creative! Smashing bottles into a bottle bank Playing LOUD music Recognise and acknowledge the choices you have NOW Carry tokens to remind you of peaceful comforting things/people Get out on your own, get away from the stress Reach out on an on-line bulletin board Pay attention to the changes needed to make you feel safe Name five things you see, smell, touch and taste to help ground you ASK FOR HELP Ask yourself inside, what YOU need Journal Touch something familiar/safe Make a phone list of people you can call for support- allow yourself to use it Identify what is causing you pain Tear up paper (old phonebooks, newspapers, etc.) Write a letter, NOT mailed, to the person or problem upsetting you Listening to that song that makes you cry- 'echoed' pain is highly beneficial