Eight Simple Ways to Maintain Eating Disorder Recovery in College

College is a time of excitement, growth, and independence.  For some, it can also be scary.  Going to college can provide you opportunity to practice skills you learned to stay healthy, to venture out to find your passions and new friends, and to prove to yourself that you have meaningful reasons for recovery.  Here are some tips to help you stay healthy in college:

1.       Take advantage of your school’s support services.  Most colleges offer free mental health and nutritional counseling.  Even if you don’t plan to use these services regularly, meet with a mental health counselor or registered dietitian to let them know your history and get to know the services the health center may offer.

2.       Make a list of your personal triggers.  How do you react to stressful situations?  Recognizing how you behave can tell you something may be wrong.  Identifying these behaviors can possibly help you articulate what the problem may be so you can respond to the issue more mindfully and constructively.

3.       Speak with your support system regularly.  Whether this may be a parent, a sibling, a friend, or a relative that knows about your eating disorder, staying in close contact can help you stay grounded.  Sometimes these people can see things developing before you.

4.      Eat on a regular basis.  Eating on time can help you self-regulate and honor your hunger and fullness.

5.      Allow yourself to move your body when you want.  Don’t give into diet culture and excessive exercise.  Enjoy moving your body for fun and to feel good.

6.      Surround yourself with people and activities you enjoy.  Be flexibele.  Instead of following rigid rules and routines with food and eating, create other routines such as meeting a friend every Monday, face-timing a parent or sibling every Wednesday, and join a club that meets every Thursday. 

7.      Give yourself time to adjust.  This can be difficult with the array of new foods offered at college.  Take the opportunity to introduce yourself to new foods with familiar foods.  Let your body get used to and be nourished by eating a variety of foods.

8.      Choose to maintain recovery.  Every day, you get to choose to see the transition to college as an opportunity to get excited about and show yourself that you have control over your recovery.