Record Your ED Triggers in the Journal

Every eating disorder and every person suffering from one has a different set of 
triggers. The triggers are what eventually lead to you falling into the bad habit from your 
eating disorder, whether that means not eating for extended periods of time, purging 
what you eat, or emotionally eating. To find your triggers, you first need to figure out 
what they are. Here is how a journal can help.

Why You Need to Find Your Triggers

Eating disorders are a little different from mental health disorders like anxiety or 
depression, but many times they are closely linked. What this means is that you might 
have the same triggers as well, especially when you are going through recovery. Your 
eating disorder is something that can consume you, but you might have periods of time 
when it is a somewhat remission state. Other times, it is really hard to control those 
urges that lead to unhealthy eating habits. There may be people, situations, places, or 
memories that cause this to happen – these are called triggers.

Figuring out what they are mean you can try to avoid them in the future, or at least 
prepare for what you might be feeling next.

What They Might Be

There is no way to say what your triggers are going to be. For some people, it has to do 
with a memory back when their eating disorder first began. If you dealt with bullying as a 
child that ultimately led to your anorexia, then your triggers might be seeing someone 
else being bullied or called fat. It is not uncommon to still deal with the same feelings 
many years later. 

For other people, a trigger can be a person in their life that is toxic or just seeing 
someone eating something that caused overeating or binges. 

Recording Them in Your Journal

To find your triggers, you are going to use your journal. First, you will be recording 
things you experience or thoughts you have when you give in to a craving or whatever 
the consequences are of your eating disorder. When you start noticing patterns, or 
triggers, you can then record any time you experience them. Write it down and try to 
find another self-care activity to keep you from giving into your usual eating disorder 
cravings or urges.

Keep reminding yourself that this feeling will pass, it is only temporary, it doesn’t have to 
cause you to lose control.

