Eating Disorders and Triggers

If you know anything about eating disorders, addiction, or mental health in general, chances are you’ve noticed the word “trigger” being thrown around. You’ve probably heard people say “that’s a trigger” or “____ triggers me.” Triggers are everywhere! So what are triggers, why are they important, and how to we handle them? Let’s find out.

         

        1) What is a trigger?

An initial trigger is something that contributes to the start of the eating disorder; basically it gets the eating disorder ball rolling. A trigger can be a traumatic event, a stressful situation, a period of transition, or even just a comment that sticks with the individual. Many professionals in the field find adolescence to be a common trigger because it is a period of many changes, both physically and emotionally, and it’s a shock to the system.

Once the disorder begins and progresses, individuals tend to develop more triggers surrounding the disease. These triggers don’t cause the disorder but they perpetuate it. When a trigger is activated, it leads to the compulsion to act out disordered behaviors.

         2) Why are triggers important?

Now that we have an idea of what a trigger is, let’s look at the impact they have on the eating disorder itself. There is something I want to stress: triggers don’t just make someone “uncomfortable.” They cause so much distress in a person that they feel the only way to calm themselves down and ease the emotional turmoil caused by the trigger, is to act on it. It’s very similar to someone suffering from OCD: the individual feels like they have no choice but to act out the compulsion because the thought of not doing it is too overwhelming. I’ve mentioned examples of triggers that contribute to the development of an eating disorder but what about triggers once the disorder has developed? Well, they’re different for everyone but there are some common ones. For example, numbers tend to be very common triggers in people with eating disorders. When I say “numbers” this includes talking about weight, measurements, calories, anything along those lines. I know for me this is a big one. Whenever I hear someone start talking about their weight or calories, my mind tends to do this “la la la, I can’t hear you” sort of thing. It’s not pleasant at all…in fact, it makes me want to crawl out of my skin. Mirrors can also be a trigger. Many people with eating disorders struggle an immense amount with their reflection. If someone looks in the mirror and hates what they see, it could be a trigger for them to want to turn to their behaviors in attempt to change their reflection. Meal times could be a trigger, especially if other people are around. Eating disorders are diseases highly concentrated in secrecy so being around others tends to stress out an individual struggling. Some foods may even be triggers. For example, people with bulimia who engage in a binge/purge cycle will tend to have specific foods that trigger them. They will buy these foods with the intention to binge on them and then throw them back up.

Triggers are important because as I’ve mentioned, they have a direct impact on the eating disorder. A trigger is something that encourages an individual to engage in their eating disorder behavior.

3       3) How do we deal with triggers?

As you can see at this point, triggers are serious components of eating disorders. So what do we do we do about them? The first step is being able to identify a trigger. If you can point it out, you can avoid it. Working with a therapist and dietician can be very beneficial when identifying triggers. Sometimes it helps to have a third party because the trigger may not be right in front of your face so it’s not as easy to point out.

Once you’ve identified your triggers, you can start to practice ways of handling them. Many individuals find it helpful to make a list of alternatives to do rather than act on the trigger. This list could include things like: going for a run, painting your nails, calling a friend, journaling, listening to music, etc. It’s similar to the idea of avoiding the impulse to self-harm: if you distract yourself and keep your mind focused on things rather than the impulse, it will abate in time. Mindfulness can be extremely beneficial when trying to handle a trigger. Mindfulness is a practice which focuses on being in the present moment and slowing down the mind and body. When a trigger hits, the mind begins to race with a plethora of anxious-driven and disordered thoughts so mindfulness is a great way to weed out those thoughts and let them pass. Again, with a therapist you can work together to come up with ways to handle triggers when they approach.

By now, I hope you have a better understanding of what triggers are and how they affect an individual with an eating disorder. Triggers can be detrimental and may pop up at random times, even after a period without them, but they’re not impossible to handle. It’s important for both an individual with an eating disorder and those supporting them, to have an idea of what their triggers are, in order to deal with them.

And remember: just like with anything else, the more you practice, the easier it becomes!