Breaking the thought cycle

[Shaurii]

Hi, Im new here. I have suffered with anorexia nervosa for 13 years now and my weight constantly changes. It has been suggested by my psychiatrist that my anorexia is linked to my BPD which Im currently having treatment for, although nothing specific to my AN.
Just a question - does anyone have any suggestions for breaking the thought cycle. For example sometimes Im just watching TV and looking at the TV guide there might be some show mentioning body size or something like that and it will automatically trigger my thoughts into action and I cant stop them. My psychiatrist has also told me that my thoughts are obcessive and compulsive but I dont know how to stop thinking the thoughts when they start.

 

[Soulwings]

Welcome to the ED boards, and to CF!

I have the same problem, with ruminating over a certain thought that gets in my head. I think the best thing when that happens is to distract yourself. You see the thing, you get triggered - immediately get involved in something else. Get away from the trigger if at all possible (I say the "if at all possible" because sometimes people are triggers and sometimes you can't get away from them), and do something you enjoy. Play some music you like and dance to it; do some yoga with some soft music in the background (if you want some suggestions on a book for that, if you can't get a class, then feel free to PM me ). Go for a walk. Actually, do anything that gets your blood flowing and heart pumping - endorphins tend to help your thoughts calm down. Just be careful to not get in the habit of excessive exercise or exercising for the pain. Neither of those are productive.

If for some reason you can't go outside, get involved in some sort of handiwork, like any type of needlework, hemp, knitting/crocheting, etc. If you don't know how to do any of those, then this is a good time to learn!

I hope that's kind of what you meant. Distractions help me a lot - writing letters to friends or just in your journal is another one that works for me - or coming on here - so I thought that maybe distractions would also help you.

If you ever need/want someone to talk to, I'm here.

 

[Shaurii]

The funny thing is before I decided to recover I wasnt triggered by anything and now it seems that so many things trigger me!! I used to have a problem with excessive exercise so I am particularly careful with any I partake in. I do knit but I dont really think when I am knitting so it doesnt really help to break that cycle. Yoga sounds like a good idea, maybe I will look for a class in my area or a book or something. Thank you, I appreciate the suggestions you have made.

 

[Soulwings]

You're welcome. Yoga usually really helps me - especially doing the really difficult poses I can't think about anything else but focusing on keeping my balance or being strong enough to stand still while keeping my body in the correct posture. The book I use for the really hard (and purportedly healing) poses is Bikram Choudhury's Yoga for Beginners. And if you want to start with easier stuff more focused on just flexibility and relaxation (not healing, strength, and flexibility) Yoga for Dummies is a really good guide. Bikram's book could be slightly intimidating at first - it was for me - but the poses are possible, even though they look extremely crazy. They just take work. Deep breathing exercises work wonderfully as far as relaxing and clearing the mind, as does meditation (which does take more work than it seems at first).

Anyway. Silly me, I've gone off and rambled more. I love yoga.

Oh, and before recovery, I wasn't really triggered by much unless I let myself be (if that makes any sense). That goes for both ED and SI. It is weird.

 

[Shaurii]

Yes Yes I was like that, I could let myself be triggered but now its like it decides whether I am triggered. I did a class which was like yoga pilates and random other similar things. I also used to do ballet so I still have a little flexibility left

 

[Soulwings]

Hehe, I was in ballet too, for eight years. Stopped six years ago but I was quite flexible then. Yoga's bringing it all back and it's making my body feel soo much younger!! (Not that I'm ancient or anything, but meds and all had made it feel so decrepit over the past few months.)

Yoga = love.

 

[Shaurii]

Eugh I know what you mean about meds, sometimes I wonder if I stopped would my body continue to work!!

 

[Soulwings]

Hehe. I feel like a walking pharmacy with all the meds that I have in my system. I've so many that I can't keep them all and their dosages straight, so we've had to type up a list of what I get when... It really detracts from social life! because I can't go anywhere overnight without worrying about missing a med time (I take them 4x a day) or missing one of my "meals" (6x a day).

But yoga helps with the whole holding-my-body together thing. ( /me is shamelessly advertising yoga. )

 

[kristen1449]

It helps to just think before you turn on the TV or flip through a magazine...and start asking yourself throughout the day "Will this make me feel good? Now? An hour from now? A year from now?" Is this good for me?" It helps just to take your mind off things for a SECOND. Also, take in a deep breath and hold it for 15 seconds...that is enough to restart your thoughts...your brain does it for you trust me! Also, look up some mantras, or repeat a prayer over and over in your head, or a song even...anything taking up space will eliminate those thoughts, instead of focusing on trying to stop them, focus on trying to think about other things. Fill your life with good things instead of stopping bad things
Love Kristen