Table of Contents
Last updated on August 23rd, 2025 at 11:27 pm
While reaching a stable place with food and body image is a major accomplishment, recovery doesn’t end there, it’s an ongoing journey. Preventing an eating disorder relapse is a crucial part of long-term recovery. Relapse can be triggered by stress, life changes, diet culture messages, or unresolved emotions. By learning to recognize early warning signs and developing strategies to maintain a balanced mindset, you can protect your progress and continue building a healthy relationship with food and your body.
Recovery isn’t always a straight line, and that’s okay. After working so hard to heal your relationship with food and your body, the idea of slipping back into old patterns can feel scary. But preventing relapse isn’t about being perfect; it’s about noticing when things feel off, having tools to support yourself, and reaching out before small struggles become bigger ones. Recovery is a journey, and learning how to protect your progress is one of the most powerful steps you can take.
This article explores some of the common causes of an eating disorder relapse, how to prevent relapse, and what to do if you find yourself engaging in eating disorder behaviors again.
What Does It Mean To Have an Eating Disorder Relapse
An eating disorder relapse means returning to disordered eating patterns, thoughts, or behaviors after a period of recovery or improvement. It does not mean failure, it’s a signal that old coping mechanisms have resurfaced and that extra support may be needed to get back on track.Eating disorder relapse is a common part of the overall recovery process for many people struggling with an eating disorder.
Behaviors common in a relapse include:
- You’re engaging in food restriction again
- You’ve decided to purge “just this once” or more frequently
- You’re Compulsively exercising
- You’re not cutting calories yet but you are mentally restricting your food
Rates of Relapse With an an Eating Disorder
It’s estimated that between 21-51% of people with eating disorders will have a relapse of symptoms at some point during the recovery process. Relapse risk is highest within the first six months to two years post-treatment and then declines but remains present.
Your risk of a relapse will vary depending on:
- How long you had n eating disorder and did not get appropriate treatment.
- The intensity of your eating disorder symptoms
- Your level of body dissatisfaction
- Your home environment and stress levels
- How old you are (rates of relapse increase with age)
Eating Disorder Relapse Triggers
Relapse triggers are events, emotions, or situations that increase the likelihood of returning to disordered eating patterns. Understanding your personal triggers can help you respond proactively and prevent setbacks in recovery. By identifying these triggers, you can plan coping strategies—like grounding exercises, mindful eating practices, or reaching out to your support network, to navigate them safely.
Common triggers include:
- Stress and Life Changes – Major transitions such as moving, starting a new job, getting into a new relationship, pregnancy, menopause or relationship difficulties can increase vulnerability. Even seasonal changes can create stress and be a trigger for an eating disorder.
- Negative Body Image – Seeing idealized bodies in media, feeling self-conscious about weight or shape, aging, or comparing yourself to others.
- Diet Culture Messages – Exposure to “thinspiration,” restrictive diet trends, fatphobia or social media content that promotes unrealistic standards. You might be bombarded with beauty compliments or comments on your weight which can trigger a desire to get smaller cause weight gain fear.
- Emotional Struggles – Anxiety, depression, loneliness, changes in medication or boredom can lead to turning back to disordered eating as a coping mechanism.
- Triggers Around Food – Situations like eating out, holiday meals, food shaming or having “forbidden” foods at home can bring up old patterns.
- Lack of Support – Feeling isolated or disconnected from therapy, support groups, or loved ones who understand your recovery journey.
19 Warning Signs of An ED Relapse
Recognizing the warning signs of an eating disorder relapse is essential for protecting your recovery. Early signs often include a preoccupation with food, weight, or body image, such as constantly thinking about calories, dieting, or appearance. Changes in eating behaviors may appear. Paying attention to these signs early allows you to reach out for support, use coping strategies, and prevent a full relapse.
There’s a good chance you’re about to relapse if:
- You started cutting out foods again
- You’re having Obsessive thoughts about food
- You have a deep fear of gaining weight
- You start to feel like you need to diet
- You start weighing or measuring your food
- You’re counting macro-nutrients
- You try to bulk up on zero or low-calorie foods
- You can’t stop body checking
- You’re Hiding, sneaking, or hoarding food
- You’ve convincing yourself you don’t need a meal plan
- You deciding to use an eating disorder behavior “just this once”
- You find yourself lying about what you’re eating
- Lying about purging
- Isolating yourself or avoiding going to social gatherings with food
- You’re sticking avoiding fear foods
- You’re cheating on your meal plan
- You think “I’ll compensate for this food with exercise”
- You’ve started tracking your food
- You get the urge to weigh yourself often
Eating Disorder Relapse Prevention
Relapse prevention in eating disorder recovery focuses on building strategies that support long-term stability and help you navigate challenges without returning to harmful patterns. It involves recognizing early warning signs, such as negative body image thoughts, restrictive urges, or emotional triggers, and addressing them before they escalate. The better your able to adhere to your early treatment routines and goals the more likely you will be to prevent a relapse in the future.
Prevent an eating disorder relapse by:
- Fully weight restoring during recovery including any overshoot weight gain necessary
- Following a mechanical eating meal plan for as long as it takes to get rid of your eating disorder voice
- Seeing your treatment team regularly even if you feel “fine”
- Get rid of clothes that are too small
- Identify and write down when you feel triggered
- Use body-positive journal prompts to really dig into and work through your body insecurities
What Should I do If I’ve Relapsed In ED Recovery
Instead of using the term “relapse” try instead using the term “relearning.” If you experience an eating disorder relapse, the most important thing is to respond with compassion rather than self-criticism. Relapse is not a failure; it’s a signal that your recovery needs additional support right now. Start by acknowledging what’s happening and reaching out to your treatment team, therapist, or a trusted support person as soon as possible, early intervention can prevent a minor setback from. Check out my anorexia story to see my journey through multiple bouts of active eating disorder and the coping tools that helped me to fully recover from my ed.
Acknowledge A Relapse Without Shame
Take a deep breath. Relapse is a normal and common in eating disorder recovery and doesn’t mean failure. Try to view it as information rather than judgment, it shows where more care and support may be needed.
Reach Out for Support Quickly
Tell someone you trust that you have relapsed . Contact your therapist, dietitian, or support group as soon as possible. Early intervention can help prevent a slip from turning into a longer setback. do not deserve support or will never eat normally again.
Revisit Your ED Recovery Tools
Look back at the strategies that helped you in the past—meal plans, coping skills, journaling, or affirmations and start using them again consistently.
Identify Possible Triggers
Reflect on what might have contributed, stress, body image concerns, dieting messages, or emotional struggles, and brainstorm ways to handle these triggers differently moving forward.
Practice Self-Compassion
Speak to yourself as you would to a friend who is struggling. Be gentle, patient, and remind yourself that recovery is not a straight line.Relapse does not mean that you have failed or that you have to start all over again. Having a relapse does not mean that you’ve unlearned all the hard work you have put into recovery.
Create a Safety Plan
Work with your treatment team to build a clear plan for what to do if symptoms return, this might include scheduled check-ins, meal support, or adjusting therapy sessions.
- 10 Tips To Cope With Bad Body Image Days - September 29, 2025
- Managing Bloating in Anorexia Recovery - September 15, 2025
- The Orthorexia Quiz: Created by A Dietitian - August 25, 2025