Should I compete again?

[horseriderrrr]

So long story short, I have competed three times within the past year. However, I think I just used competing as a band-aid approach to heal an underlying eating disorder. I have yo-yoed between borderline anorexia and binge eating disorder. I'm currently seeing a psychologist about it, and it's definitely helping. I feel much better and am stating to get the itch to compete again. I am going to run this by my psychologist tomorrow, but I also wanted to get all of your opinions. What are your thoughts on me competing? Has anyone else overcome an eating disorder and successfully competed? Also, would it help to use an iifym coach? My previous coach had a clean eating approach and I definitely don't want to do that again. Thanks in advance!

[rockangel]

If you have an eating disorder, then you need to stay away from the competitions and work on healing yourself. You said it, you are doing nothing but using the contests as a band aid, and to hide your eating disorder as a "healthy" outlet.

Maybe you need to work with your therapist to decide why you "feel the itch" and what this means to you overall in the form of eating and body image.

Just because you "feel better" at this moment does not make you recovered, and it does not mean that you are ready for the stage.

[mackallen]

You should concentrate on the treatment as eating disorder can further cause many other health problems.

[gbnpc]

competition during this time in your life would most likely not allow you to treat the disorder since during contest prep you are voluntarily taking in less and less calories.

[ProYeo]

It seems like competitions can foster near disorder behaviour in people. The pressure as well as the extreme dieting beforehand and the release afterwards. Competitions can trigger an unhealthy relationship with food if your aren't in the right mental space to prepare for it. The extremes can also damage your metabolism if the buildup and post competition aren't handled very carefully and that in turn could really trigger some unhealthy behaviour and thinking. Focus on being clear mentally first... be confident and certain that you are ready.