Gauging progress in eating disorder recovery can be confusing, especially for those watching the process. One day, your loved one seems on track for healing. Then, what happened?! They appear “back to square one.” Parents, caregivers, or spouses (“carers”) tend to panic about that.
The stages of change (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983; Raihan & Cogburn, 2023) may help carers conceptualize eating disorder recovery. A few people with eating disorders might progress through them linearly (in order). However, that’s probably rarer than progressing circularly at times—meaning looping back to earlier stages. (Click for full article)
