You are not alone if you are struggling with both an eating disorder as well as another mental illness, such as anxiety, ocd, or depression. There is help available to address all aspects of your mental health. Check out the resources and links below on helpful blogs and other organizations that specialize in a wide range of mental illnesses.
External Resources
Mindshift CBT App: Information on the free Mindshift CBT app that helps people cope with anxiety. Features include coping cards, learning to face your fears in small steps, tracking your anxiety and mood, goal setting, thought journaling, and using CBT based tools.
How to Manage Anxiety in ED Recovery: This blog talks about the correlation between anxiety and eating disorders and that the goal is not to get rid of all anxiety but instead to get curious about what your anxiety is doing for you. Suggestions for anxiety management include medication, supplements, therapy, self-care, journaling, taking time off social media, having a support system, therapy, mindfulness/meditation, and more.
Understanding Anxiety to Cope With It Better: This article talks about anxiety, what happens in the brain when you are anxious, how you can recognize your particular triggers, and how you can work through them.
Self-Help Strategies for Social Anxiety: Information on social anxiety and tools for coping.
Self-Help Strategies for Panic Disorder: Information on panic disorder including general information on the topic as well as tools for coping.
5 Tools to Help You Through Depression: This blog offers advice on how to deal with depression, including moving your body, getting out of the house, connecting with others, and meditating.
The Mindful Way through Anxiety by Orsillo & Roemer (Book)
5 Things I Learned From My Therapist That Helped My Anxiety
How to Find Coping Mechanisms For your Anxiety: Learn ways to cope with anxiety, including finding a therapist, keeping note of triggers, being kind and patient with yourself, etc.
Plus One: When an Eating Disorder and Other Disorders Co-Occur: This article talks about disorders that commonly occur with eating disorders, (including anxiety, substance abuse, and depression) and types of treatment that may be effective for each.
Managing Your OCD: Helpful information on how to manage OCD, including general information on the disorder, unhelpful strategies people use to cope, and how to build your OCD toolbox.
Crisis Center of BC: This website provides crisis line numbers for BC, the option to speak to someone via an online chat, and information on distress services.
Self-Injury Outreach and Support: This website provides information and resources for those struggling with self-injury.
Foundry: Information and resources for adolescents dealing with mental health issues, substance use, self-injury, loss and grief, suicide, anxiety, and depression.
Resources for Caregivers & Families
5 Ways to Support Someone With Anxiety: This article offers suggestions for how to support people dealing with anxiety, including understanding what anxiety is, knowing how to recognize the signs of anxiety, tips for starting a conversation on anxiety, etc.
Depression: Information on what depression is, the symptoms of depression, risk factors, how it’s different from other conditions, types of treatment, and ways to cope.
Anxiety: Information on anxiety, including information on different anxiety disorders, symptoms, risk factors, types of treatment, and ways to cope.
Mood Disorders: Information on mood disorders (major depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder) including a description of the disorders, myths associated with the disorders, and resources.
OCD: Information on OCD including a description of the disorder, myths associated with the disorder, treatment options, resources, and ways to get support.
Self Harm: This webpage talks about self-harm, including the causes, signs and symptoms, treatment, myths associated with self-harm, resources, and ways to get support.
