Theoretical Framework

The E.D.
I think about and talk about eating disorders as if they were separate entities, often by personifying them. This approach is based on the theory and practice of Narrative Therapy, and is known as externalizing the problem.

When a problem, such as an eating disorder, is seen as internal, then the person IS the problem. Or, from the perspective of someone with an E.D., it may seem like an integral part of their identity. This leaves little room for change, especially because it convinces the person that whatever the E.D. "says" (thoughts that come from it) is their own opinion. As a result, they accept these thoughts without stopping to question them.

Recovery depends on questioning everything the E.D. says, along with its motives, in order to recognize the tactics and strategies it uses. This lays the foundation for a resistance to it - as Jenni Schaefer writes, by disagreeing it whenever possible, and consistently disobeying it.

Many in E.D. recovery use the name Ed for their E.D. (for obvious reasons); I don't use this name because I don't want to presume that it is male. While many think of their E.D. as a male voice, many do not. Some relate more to female imagery. Unfortunately, the names Ana (for anorexia) and Mia (for bulimia) have been appropriated by those who advocate in favor of eating disorders as a valid lifestyle choice. I'm in favor of reclaiming these names for a pro-recovery purpose, but don't want to use them here in case they might be misunderstood or triggering for some.

At times, I may refer to the E.D. using biblical language, such as the "tempter" or "adversary." While this language is generally associated with Satan/the Devil, I want to make clear that I am NOT trying to say that E.D.s are demonic. It is a slippery slope from using the Devil as a metaphor for an E.D. to suggesting that those with E.D.s are subject to demonic influences or even possessed. Please do not interpret anything I may write in this way.

The E.D.'s Hermeneutic and the Hermeneutic of Suspicion
"Hermeneutic" is a word often used in reference to the practice of biblical interpretation. A hermeneutic is an interpretive lens - the perspective through which we interpret something. We all use hermeneutics, whether or not we are aware of them.

For people with eating disorders, the E.D. offers its own interpretive lens - its own hermeneutic - through which everything is filtered - what other people may say or do, things we hear or read, including scriptures, sermons, etc. Some of my posts seek to uncover the E.D.'s hermeneutical lens, and call it into question through a competing "hermeneutic of suspicion" - in other words, an interpretive lens based on deep suspicion of E.D.s and the cultural forces that support them.