Recovering from an eating disorder is already challenging, but being away from home at college can make it even harder. The pressures of getting good grades, meeting new friends, and balancing it all, can feel overwhelming. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder in college, know that you’re not alone. Most eating disorders typically develop between 18 and 21 years of age, which includes the majority of college students. It’s estimated that 10-20% of women and 4-10% of men in college are suffering from an eating disorder. Unfortunately, these numbers are only increasing. Keep reading to learn 7 ways how to recover from eating disorders in college.
If you are a college student who is struggling with an eating disorder, or you know another student who’s struggling, it’s important that you find support. Early intervention is crucial to preventing the disorder, and its physical consequences, from worsening. If left untreated, eating disorders can cause extreme mental and physical distress, or even death. We know it may feel scary to ask for help, but there are lots of resources and providers waiting to help. Below are 7 ways you can navigate eating disorder recovery while in college.
1. Seek Help
The first step of action should be getting a team in place. Recovery is hard and the more support you have the better! Many campuses offer medical care at student health services, you can speak with a doctor to find out their recommendations and get referrals for a therapist and dietitian.
2. Come Up with a Meal Plan
Once you have a team in place you’ll want to make sure you are working with your dietitian to come up with a plan for meals and snacks. They will be able to offer specific recommendations based on your individual needs, but here are a few things to consider.
- Bring plenty of snacks to campus: If you have a hard time finding things to eat on-campus, it’s important you supplement your diet with plenty of snacks from off-campus stores to make sure you’re eating enough.
- Rely on convenient meals: These can include frozen foods or premade meals. If you have a dining plan, chances are there are premade options available to you, even if you’re not aware of it.
- Make plans with friends to eat meals together: It can be hard to hold yourself accountable if you consistently eat by yourself. Eating meals with other people is a great way to encourage yourself to eat. It will also make eating more enjoyable!
- Watch your caffeine intake: It seems to be the “fad” that college students heavily rely on coffee, but keep in mind caffeine intake can affect your appetite and make it more challenging to have meals.
- Don’t skip breakfast: This seems like an obvious one, but again it seems to be something college students do often. Everyone should be starting their day with a hearty breakfast, but especially if you are in recovery it is important not to miss meals and breakfast is a great opportunity to start the day off on the right foot.
3. Plan Regular Trips to the Grocery Store
If you are struggling with an eating disorder you might struggle to go shopping for groceries. Having a day each week that you go with friends or roommates will ensure that you’re getting the items you need to continue to support your recovery.
4. Have Roommate Dinners
If you live in an apartment and have access to a stove it can be a fun experience to make dinner together. This brings some joy and distraction to the meal while making sure you’re getting the nourishment you need. If you need some recipe ideas, Budget Bytes is a great resource!
5. Try to Get Enough Sleep and Destress
College can be overwhelming with exams and class schedules. It’s important to manage your time so that you don’t let everything pile up until the last minute. Many campuses offer free tutoring sessions, if you feel you need some additional support with classes don’t hesitate to reach out.
6. Filter Out the Noise
Pay attention to who you surround yourself with and what messages you are exposed to. If you are following diet/fitness accounts on social media it will be a good idea to unfollow them and instead look up some accounts that focus on recovery. If you find that your friends are often talking about their bodies or excessively working out it might be a good idea to distance yourself.
7. Get Involved
Eating disorders thrive in isolation. It can be a good idea to join a club or community group so that you have fun things to look forward to! Being in a community setting can also give you a sense of belonging and it’s a great way to meet new people. If you feel comfortable it’s also a good way to expand your support network.
Final Thoughts on Recovering from an Eating Disorder in College
Thank you for reading this resource on 7 ways to recover from eating disorders in college. If you are just starting your recovery journey remember you are not alone and you are worthy of support! Offer yourself compassion and don’t feel ashamed to reach out for help. Having a team of professionals and a supportive group of people in your life will help you on your path to recovery.
Sources: https://childmind.org/article/eating-disorders-and-college/
Contact Us
Courage to Nourish is a group of eating disorder specialized dietitians. We have in person locations in Alexandria, Virginia, Columbia, Maryland. and College Park, Maryland. We offer virtual services across the state of Virginia, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, and Colorado. We offer individual nutrition therapy. As well as support groups. We would love to guide you in building a better relationship with food.
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Leslie is a weight-inclusive, anti-diet eating disorder dietitian who specializes in working with adolescents, families, and college students who struggle with all eating disorder diagnoses. Additionally, she enjoys working with those who are curious about intuitive eating and looking to have an
overall better relationship with food. Learn more about Leslie here.