You already have what it takes to recover from an eating disorder

Harnessing Your Strengths for Eating Disorder Recovery: The Science Behind Turning Determination, Perfectionism, and Empathy into Tools for Healing

When you’re deep in an eating disorder like anorexia, it can feel like your very personality is working against you. Determination turns into restriction. Perfectionism morphs into impossible standards for your body. And empathy? That’s what makes you put everyone else’s needs before your own. But here’s the surprising truth: these traits aren’t your enemies. In fact, science shows that these very qualities can be repurposed to help you recover from an eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia,  or orthorexia.

This blog explain how the traits that once kept you stuck in the cycle of disordered eating can actually help you heal—and what research has to say about it.

Determination: From Restriction to Recovery

Determination is a trait that most people with anorexia have in abundance. It’s what kept you going through hunger, exhaustion, and restriction, even when your body was screaming for nourishment. In the context of an eating disorder, this determination is often linked to a process in the brain’s reward system.

The Science Behind It:

Research shows that the brains of people with anorexia are wired to find a sense of achievement in restriction. A 2013 study published in The Journal of Abnormal Psychology found that people with anorexia often have a heightened reward response when they successfully restrict food. This happens because the brain’s dopamine pathways, which govern reward and pleasure, become hyperactive in response to self-control behaviors like dieting and weight loss. 

This hyperactivity creates a positive feedback loop: the more you restrict, the more accomplished and in control you feel, reinforcing the behavior.

But here’s the exciting part: that same determination can be redirected. According to a 2015 study in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, the cognitive processes involved in goal-directed behavior—like the ones that drive dieting and exercising—can be applied to recovery as well. The very brain regions that helped you stick to a restrictive diet can be used to help you stick to a recovery-focused plan.

Perfectionism: From Impossible Standards to Realistic Progress

If you’re a perfectionist, you’re no stranger to setting impossibly high standards. Whether it was about reaching a specific weight, maintaining a perfect diet, or controlling every aspect of your life, perfectionism likely played a major role in your eating disorder. But perfectionism isn’t inherently bad—it’s about how you apply it.

The Science Behind It:

Perfectionism in people with eating disorders often manifests as maladaptive perfectionism. This is a type of perfectionism characterized by harsh self-criticism and an unrealistic need for flawlessness. A study published in The International Journal of Eating Disorders in 2016 found that maladaptive perfectionism is strongly correlated with the severity of eating disorder symptoms, making recovery even harder when you expect perfection from yourself.

Perfectionism is also linked to cognitive distortions like all-or-nothing thinking. A 2015 paper in The Journal of Abnormal Psychology shows that people with anorexia often view their actions and body image in extreme terms: either you’re doing everything perfectly, or you’ve failed entirely. This mindset can push you to go to dangerous extremes in pursuit of your ideal.

However, the same attention to detail that drives perfectionism can be rechanneled to help you track recovery progress and set SMART goals—goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, instead of aiming for a “perfect” body, you can set a goal to nourish your body consistently with balanced meals. Perfectionism can become the force that helps you master skills, like building routines that support your well-being and ultimately help you to recover from an eating disorder.

Empathy: From People-Pleasing to Self-Compassion

People with anorexia often have an incredible capacity for empathy. You might be someone who is highly attuned to the needs and emotions of others, constantly putting their well-being ahead of your own. While empathy is a beautiful trait, it can lead to people-pleasing behaviors that leave you drained and neglectful of your own needs.

The Science Behind It:

A 2018 study in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that people with eating disorders, especially women, tend to exhibit high levels of interpersonal dependency and a fear of rejection. This fear can drive people to alter their behaviors—whether it’s restricting food, hiding struggles, or seeking validation through appearance—to fit societal expectations or keep others happy. Essentially, you become hyper-focused on caring for others at the expense of yourself.

To recover from an eating disorder, it’s crucial to turn that empathy inward. Self-compassion—the practice of treating yourself with the same kindness and care that you offer others—has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress while boosting emotional resilience. According to Dr. Kristin Neff, a pioneer in self-compassion research, being kind to yourself during recovery helps you soften that critical inner voice and build a healthier relationship with food and your body.

Learning to set boundaries and prioritize your well-being doesn’t mean you stop caring for others—it just means you care for yourself too. And science shows that people who practice self-compassion experience better mental health outcomes and are more likely to sustain long-term recovery.

How Brain Chemistry Affects These Traits

The traits we’ve talked about—determination, perfectionism, and empathy—are often influenced by the brain’s reward systems and cognitive patterns. Studies using functional MRI scans of people with eating disorders reveal altered activity in brain areas related to reward processing, control, and decision-making, such as the prefrontal cortex and striatum.

When you engage in disordered eating behaviors, these brain regions light up, giving you a sense of control and reward. However, during recovery, you can rewire these pathways. Neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form new connections, allows the same parts of the brain that reinforced disordered habits to create healthy, eating disorder recovery-focused behaviors.

A 2020 study published in Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment & Prevention emphasizes the importance of building new, recovery-positive habits. With time and practice, recovery-oriented behaviors—like nourishing your body, attending therapy, or practicing self-compassion—can activate your brain’s reward system in the same way that restriction once did.

Black-and-White Thinking: Embracing Flexibility

People with anorexia often struggle with black-and-white thinking. This is the mindset where things are either all good or all bad, success or failure. You might think, “If I don’t follow my meal plan perfectly, I’ve failed.” But eating disorder recovery requires learning to live in the gray area, where flexibility is key.

The Science Behind It:

Black-and-white thinking is a type of cognitive distortion, and it’s strongly linked to eating disorders. Research published in Behaviour Research and Therapy found that people with eating disorders often simplify complex life situations into extreme categories. This rigid thinking fuels perfectionism and anxiety, making it difficult to find balance or accept setbacks.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is highly effective in addressing black-and-white thinking. By learning to identify and challenge extreme thoughts, you can start to see situations in a more balanced way. For example, instead of thinking, “I ate something off-plan, so I’ve failed,” you can reframe it to, “One meal doesn’t define my entire day, and it’s okay to make mistakes.”

Over time, this helps retrain your brain to move away from extremes and embrace flexibility. This shift not only helps reduce anxiety but also promotes long-term, sustainable recovery.

The Role of Support in Rewiring These Traits

Eating Disorder Recovery is not a solo journey. Studies show that people who feel supported by a coach, therapist, or community are more likely to make lasting progress. A 2020 study published in The Journal of Health Psychology suggests that individuals with strong social support networks—whether from family, friends, or professionals—are better equipped to handle setbacks and maintain recovery long-term. 
In my own practice, for example, my clients always find that having me on the end of a Whatsapp message can alleviate problematic thoughts.