5 Lies That Lead to Relapse

One of our greatest gifts is our ability to think. It can be argued that only human beings are capable of rational thought. But then why are our thoughts so screwed up? When we are active in food addiction, it profoundly affects our brain and the way we view things and process thoughts.

The Alcoholics Anonymous big book says, "Therefore, the main problem of the (addict) centers in their mind rather than their body." Alcoholics Anonymous, p 23.

Even when we have begun recovery, our thoughts can get screwed up. Putting down our drug foods doesn’t automatically mean the lies of ED and addictive thought patterns are no longer something we deal with.

Here are five common lies/thoughts that can potentially lead to a relapse:

• Blaming Others - If you find yourself pointing the finger at other people to excuse or explain your own food choices you are likely in a danger zone. Blaming others is actually a form of manipulation, which is obviously something we should not be engaging in if we are in recovery. Not only do we have to learn to navigate the food part of social situations, we have to learn to navigate other people. When we blame others, it can have us feeling like a victim, and we cannot be victims and recover at the same time.

• Romanticizing Drug Foods - We cannot fondly remember drug foods and go down the road of food fantasy and euphoric recall. We’ve all had those drug foods that we “loved” but they still profoundly affected our life in a negative way. Once we cross the line from dabbling in excess consumption here and there to full-blown addiction and compulsive eating the consequences are tenfold. If you find yourself excitedly recalling eating certain foods and inconveniently forgetting the misery it has caused you, this is a big red flag you don’t want to ignore.

• Regretting the Past - The opposite of euphoric recall can be just as dangerous. Regretting the past can set you up to have unrealistic expectations for your recovery. You may hear ED say, "You should be so much further in life than you are right now. You’re such a loser." This type of stinking thinking can lead to depression and that can lead you to relapse. Instead of beating yourself up and harboring regrets, focus on the hear and now and the positive changes you’re making in recovery. Getting drug foods out of your life is a huge accomplishment and you should be proud of it every single day!

• Exaggerating/Creating Drama - Our ED brain can have us move from one extreme to the other. One of the goals of recovery should be to get off the emotional roller coaster and enjoy a smooth ride. ED is great at having us make a mountain out of a mole hill. We need to always look for the silver lining and overlook the negative side of things and look for the good that we can celebrate. If nothing seems to be going right just remember that you have one big thing to celebrate – your food sobriety!

• Thinking That “Just One” Won’t Hurt - Hello to the lie of moderation! When ED says, “Look how well you’ve been doing! You can control yourself this time – have just one!” This is one of the biggest most obvious signs of potential relapse. ED loves to try to convince us that our memory is faulty and that our addiction wasn’t that bad or that we have changed enough and won’t have the same reaction this time. DANGER! DANGER! When it comes to relapsing an addiction, we need to remember that we usually pick up right where we left off or we end up even worse because addiction is always progressive. It might not happen right away – it might be weeks, but you will be rapidly right in the same place or worse than when you first decided to get food sober.

As you pursue your recovery, do a check in with your thought patterns on a regular basis. If you’re struggling with any of these thought patterns that could lead to relapse make sure you don’t continue to try and do it alone. Having a community and support and learning tools, skills, and strategies will go a long way in helping you stay food sober.

My Food Freedom Tribe may be just the support community that you need to help you spot patterns, habits, and signs of trouble and navigate your way out of them for a life of food freedom.