Window of Tolerance

I have been wanting to write about the window of tolerance for a long time.  It has only been directly addressed in one treatment center that I attended, and I think it is incredibly helpful...

The window of tolerance refers to a zone of "emotional arousal that is optimal for well-being and effective functioning," (Siegel, 1999). 

When we are within our window of tolerance, we are able to effectively cope with, process, and integrate emotional arousal.  However, when we are outside our window of tolerance, we are unable to complete these essential functions. 

What is the shoreline of recovery?

I was recently listening to a program on NPR about what makes world-class athletes so great.  There was a story about a woman who was attempting to swim across a large channel of water.  She was swimming through a thick fog and became overwhelmed with fatigue.  She called for the boat to pick her up and climbed into it with a heavy heart.  A few minutes later, the fog cleared, and she saw that the shoreline was only about 1 mile away.  She said, "If I had known the shore was so close, I would have kept going."  Five months later she returned to the channel and completed the feat.

I entered treatment and therapy for the first time over 10 years ago.  The work towards "recovery" is relentless, and I often wonder, "how much further do I have to go?"  I feel as if I am perpetually stuck in a fog, not knowing whether I have a few meters or a few thousand miles left before I can drag myself onto the shores of recovery.  Just like the woman in the story, I think that if I knew how much further I had to go, I could muster my strength and finish. 

But recovery from an eating disorder is not black and white.  

OFTEN, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE SHORE EVEN LOOKS LIKE. 

 

Let me demonstrate the obscurities of recovery from an eating disorder...

The Energy of Emotions

Eating disorders often serve the purpose of numbing us out, letting us escape from the pain and suffering of our daily lives. 

We feel sad, angry, hopeless, helpless, overwhelmed, etc --> 

we use eating disorder symptoms --> 

we feel numb. 

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. 

We think we're getting rid of the emotions. 

But the thing is, we're not. 

We're just pushing them down. 

Comorbidity

Many people who have eating disorders often have other mental health disorders.  I have seen statistics stating that 50-75% of people with EDs will struggle with depression at some point, and 2/3 of individuals with EDs struggle with anxiety of some type.  This contributes to the fact that eating disorders are complicated and truly unique.

It is important to gain a full understanding of each disorder, as well as the relationship between the various disorders specific to each person.  In some cases, the eating disorder is actually a symptom that is underlying a different primary psychological disorder.  In other instances, the eating disorder may be primary, with other mental health diagnoses secondary.  It is important to explore the relationship between the disorders, as this can help guide treatment and lead to more effective outcomes.