Defusion
Cognitive fusion is the process in which individuals identify with their thoughts and believe them true. It is common for people with eating disorders to be highly fused with distressing thoughts about themselves. Engaging in behaviors allows these individuals to find self-worth and self-control. Defusion disarms these self-destructive beliefs by assuming that the self is not the content of its thought. Instead, the self is viewed as the one visited by thoughts. Defusion leads the client away from a self-as-content perspective to a self-as-context one.
The Observing Self
One component of eating disorders that makes them complicated to treat is that the disordered beliefs are closely related to one’s sense of self. Individuals with eating disorders tend to view their eating disorder as part of who they are, and to give it up would cause them to lack identity. Strengthening this sense of self separate from the eating disorder thoughts helps to build a sense of self in which thoughts and feelings related to the eating disorder are not a crucial part of an individual self-conception.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness refers to active, open attention to the present moment and the ability to observe thoughts and feelings at a distance without judging or owning them. Often, people with eating disorders have difficulty identifying their emotions, making it challenging to defuse them. Mindfulness helps draw attention to these feelings to help process them.
Personal Values
Life balance takes a hit when body shape and weight are valued at the expense of other important values. An individual with an eating disorder may avoid family or social activities because they can involve food. While it is often without conscious awareness, body image concerns become extremely overvalued, and other life values lose priority.
