Adding more elements to the treatment and recovery process, this weeks Addicted to Food on Oprah Winfrey Network continues on the emotional journey of addiction and recovery of eating disorders.
Moving into the early days of this 42 day program, elements such as exercise are beginning to be introduced into the regime. Patients are starting to feel better and healthier. Exercise helps increase those endorphins. However, all treatments and all patients are not created equal. Elizabeth, who suffers from bulimia, is not allowed to exercise. Elizabeth’s addiction is not just bulimia, but her routine includes excessive exercising. So, for Elizabeth, exercising is a trigger and her anxiety levels are high as we move through the days that are covered in the episode.
“Nothing changes if nothing changes.” – Kathy McCarty
As a lesson that must apply to many addictions, Tennie explains that “Elizabeth has got to learn to get a balance and moderation in everything. If she is going to break the cycle of bulimia and the cycle of addiction, she’s going to have to break some old habits.”
Throughout the week, the recovery process turns the corner into childhood regression and many of the patients are reduced to childlike behaviors. Tennie tells us, “This is a sign that it’s working.” This process is meant to help get the patient to the place in their lives where they can identify the pain of where the eating disorder started. It’s emotional. Everyone starts falling apart as their walls start falling down.
“EVERYONE CAN RECOVER”
At the end of the episode, Tennie takes the patients out into the community and empowers them with cameras. “Take photos… Take pictures of the things that remind you of the God of your understanding,” Tennie tells them. Where is God? Where is your higher power? Find it and take the photos. This lesson is for everyone. Empower yourself. Pickup a camera and go!
This week’s Tennisims
- “If we don’t see where we’ve been, were not going to know where we are going.” – Tennie McCarty
- “Look at your childhood and start to learn to grow yourself up.” – Tennie McCarty
- “What would it take for you to grow yourself up?” – Tennie McCarty
- “We can diagnose people but it doesn’t matter what we say to them…it’s what they internalize and diagnose themselves.” – Tennie McCarty
- “There is a lot of self hatred among addicts, particularly among eating disorder clients.” – Tennie McCarty
- “More…wanting more…that’s what cost you a ticket to treatment.” – Tennie McCarty
- “Twelve step programs work very well for eating disorders…twelve steps is a way to find recovery through a spiritual direction…it will walk you up face to face with the God of your understanding.” – Tennie McCarty
- “If you want your life to change, you have to do something different.” Kathy McCarty
- If you don’t forgive yourself, it will kill you
I just started watching addicted to food. This show is good. I see alot of myself in so many of those people. I was on the last chat w/ Tennie. She asked me if I was being supervised with the diet pill I’m on. Which I am. However I only saw the doctor on the first visit a little over a year ago. Ever since then all I see are the RN’s. Everything on this show at some point in my own life has happened to me. Scary I’ll tell ya. I’m courious as to how the season will play out & I’m wondering how the people will do.
Jennifer(emma4024)
I think that there are so many stories with the patients…and so many people who are not so different than many out there. I’ve been going to the chats and think that @OprahWinfreyNet is doing a great job hosting these forums and getting conversations started. I’m on the sidelines, cheering on all of the people. I’ve seen Robby and Camille join the chat rooms over the last couple of weeks…makes me think they are doing well. It would be great to see some of the others jump online too. Change your life TV…I love Oprah’s OWN network!