Eating Disorder Lies

It is common in eating disorder treatment to learn to separate yourself from the eating disorder.  As you practice doing this, you become better at recognizing what is the eating disorder and what is your authentic self.  The eating disorder is a professional at telling you lies and trying to convince you that they are true.  

For those with eating disorders:
As you read the list of common eating disorder lies below, notice how they make you feel.  Which lies does your eating disorder tell you?  Are there any messages on the list that you believe to be true?  Are there any messages that you used to believe were true but now recognize as false?  How did you come to realize that those messages were lies?  Consider writing about the messages you still struggle with, or bring them to your therapist or trusted support person.

For support people:
Imagine what your life would be like if the following messages played in your head over and over again.  How would these messages impact your life?  What would it feel like if you believed some of the messages to be true?  How can you help your loved ones separate themselves from their eating disorders?  Remember, it is NOT your job to convince your loved ones that their thoughts are lies, or to criticize them for having crazy/stupid/selfish/weird/silly/irrational thoughts.  Your job is to provide unconditional support to your loved ones, and to show them that they are still lovable and worthy, regardless of what they think.

1. I am either fat or I am skinny.
2. Having an eating disorder makes me special.
3. I am more disciplined than other people because I have an eating disorder.
4. I don't deserve to get help.
5. Treatment for an eating disorder just makes people fat.

1. I am no one without the eating disorder. 
2. I'm not thin enough to have an eating disorder. 
3. There are good foods and bad foods.
4. I must feel starving in order to eat.
5. There is no such thing as too much exercise.
6. If I allow myself to eat what I want, I'll never stop eating.
7. I'm not sick enough to have an eating disorder.
8. If I eat a forbidden/scary food I'll gain weight. 
9. I eat too much to have an eating disorder.
10. I need to earn food.
11. Feeling full means I'm gaining weight.
12. I deserve to be suffering.
13. I am the fattest person in the room.  
14. I do not deserve to enjoy food.
15. Everyone else is trying to make me fat.
16. I have to weigh myself every day to make sure my weight doesn't get out of control.
17. I have complete control over my eating disorder.  It does not control me.
18. The only way to have the body I want is to use symptoms.
19. I can't ask for help because I will just be a bother to other people. 
20. Everyone else is looking at me and judging me when I eat.
21. Only fat people eat "junk" food.
22. My body works differently than everyone else's body.  Therefore I... (can't eat as much, need to exercise more, gain weight faster, etc)
23. If I was better at my eating disorder I would be thinner.
24. Other people should know how much pain I'm in.
25. I need to feel motivated in order to work on recovery.
26. I can't deal with my life unless I have my eating disorder.
27. My weight should stay the exact same from day to day as long as I eat and exercise the same amount each day.
28. I can only eat if I exercise. 
29. I have already been in treatment and it doesn't work.
30. If I can't recover perfectly, I might as well not recover at all.
31. Feeling hungry means I'm succeeding.
32. I will let go of my eating disorder when I have good things in my life.   
33. I have to eat the same things every day or else I will gain weight.   
34. I will be happy when I lose ___ more pounds.
35. Other people can go on a diet without getting an eating disorder so I can diet too. 
36. My eating disorder is the only thing I can control in my life.   
37. The only reason why my treatment team is working with me is because they want to make money.
38. The only thing people care about is appearances.
39. My insurance company said that I'm not sick enough so I guess I'm not.
40. If I am skinnier than everyone else I am winning.
41. I will start eating and stop using symptoms tomorrow.
42. My treatment team is just trying to manipulate me.
43. It is never okay to enjoy my food. 
44. The eating disorder is the only thing I am good at.
45. My treatment team only cares about me because I pay them to.
46. I need to be smaller than everyone around me.
47. I'll start working on recovery when I actually get sick enough.
48. If I start gaining weight, my weight will never stop going up. 
49. If I eat I am weak.  
50. No one will pay attention to me or care about me unless I have my eating disorder.
51. I feel fine so I'm not harming my body when I use symptoms.
52. If I am not moving I am lazy.
53. I always have to eat less than everyone else.
54. If I gain weight, everyone will notice.  
55. The only thing my treatment team cares about is my weight.
56. I can't trust my body.   
57. I can't handle my feelings without my eating disorder.
58. No one can see me eat because they'll think I'm a pig.
59. My doctor/friend/parent/relative/teacher told me that I don't have an eating disorder so I must not.
60. If I am at a healthy weight everyone will stop paying attention to me. 
61. I have to exercise every day or else I will gain weight. 
62. No one has said they're concerned about me so I must not be sick enough.
63. If people see me eating they will think that I'm recovered.
64. Sometimes I like food so I must not have an eating disorder.
65. If I give in to my hunger I have failed.
66. I don't need anyone else in my life because I have my eating disorder. 
67. Someone else deserves my spot in treatment more than I do.
68. I can live a successful, happy, healthy life even with my eating disorder.
69. If I can't be thin, I don't want to live.
70. It's different for me because I actually am fat.
71. My eating disorder protects me from painful feelings.
72. If I eat I have to compensate it in some way.
73. I will never be satisfied with my appearance.
74. I will never recover.  
75. At least some of the messages in this list are true. 

What other lies does your eating disorder tell you?