Navigating Recovery & Mental Illness w/ Izee Blooms (@izeeblooms)

Explanation & Practical Tips… I used to feel triggered/ competitive/ upset by other anorexic people, and it made my recovery (and life) harder. In today’s episode I share how I overcame this! Overview: Tips for being triggered by anorexic people in public/ strangers. Tips for dealing with your friends who have eating disorders. An explanation to people who have never struggled with an ED- helping you understand the anorexic thoughts… Thank you for listening! I hope you found the episode helpful. If you enjoyed, please rate the podcast or leave a review. I appreciate them so much as they help me reach more listeners! Links: Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk Instagram: @realrecoveryuk Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast

Recently classed as RECOVERED from Anorexia, Izee shares her advice + lived experience with mental illness in our open & vulnerable chat. We covered these topics... What does 'fully recovered' mean? + Izee’s checklist for being recovered. Social media & receiving hate online. How to accept SH scars & deal with comments from other people. Advice for friends & family of those struggling. Can it be triggering/ invalidating to be classed as 'recovered'? Helpful treatment professionals vs traumatic experience with treatment. Meal plans- when do they become too restrictive? Navigating ED recovery with Depression & PTSD (&insomnia) Is recovery a privilege? Understanding different circumstances. About Izee: Izee shares her lived experience with mental illness on her Instagram platform to spread awareness, fight stigma, and provide a safe space for others online. She posts uplifting content about body acceptance and self care, while also being open about the realities of depression, complex PTSD, Self-Harm, and EDs. I invited Izee onto the podcast because I believe her content is a rare example of a positive (but realistic) influence in the recovery community online. Thank you again to Izee for joining me! Instagram: @izeeblooms links: linktr.ee/Izeeblooms Here is a link to the SH information resource mentioned in the episode: https://toolkit.lifeline.org.au/topics/self-harm/what-is-self-harm Thank you for listening! Links: Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk Instagram: @realrecoveryuk Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast

Neuroscience explained + tips for coping with body changes... Today's episode is an interesting one! If you experience strong feelings of disgust (among other negative emotions) when weight-restoring in anorexia recovery, you are not alone! There is nothing wrong with your body- hopefully the episode can point that out by highlighting the biological mechanisms of how body-image & disgust can relate. Overview : Tip 1: Focus on self-care, hygiene, and other aspects of your appearance. Neuroscience: interoception, body mapping, fear response, & the power of time. Tip 2: Decrease disgust by changing the mental image of your body. Tip 3: Use thought- blocking to prevent negative spirals. Thank you for listening! LINKS: Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk Instagram: @realrecoveryuk Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast Substack: recent article (anxiety tools & research)

We covered some of the most DIFFICULT parts of eating disorder recovery (see below)… Victoria recovered from 20+ years of EDs & body-hate. She now coaches other people to fully heal (no quasi recovery bs). Hearing her speak will give you valuable guidance, practical tips, and a view into the world of confidence, self-love, and true food freedom. Topics we covered (in order): How to start recovery? How to cope with feeling a loss of CONTROL? Recovery & different personalities- can you recover slower? How to go from self- HATE to self- ACCEPTANCE? Healing with humour. How to make positive affirmations work? Extreme hunger & rapid weight gain. Red flags for recovery coaches & treatment + advice Overshoot Fully committing to weight gain without micro-restriction Coping with old photos / thinner body. Can you lose weight after recovery? Mirror work exercise. For more support from Victoria… Check out her podcast: ‘The Body Love Binge’ Coaching: https://victoriakleinsman.com/work-with-me/ Website: https://victoriakleinsman.com/ Victoria's Contact/ Socials: instagram email : [email protected] Thank you so much for listening! Links: Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk Instagram: @realrecoveryuk Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast Substack: recent article (anxiety tools & research)

How to handle routine changes, overwhelm, hot weather, unpredictability… Overview: Intro Coping with HEAT (& the effect it may have on body image due to discomfort & swelling) Coping with ROUTINE CHANGES (tips for planning) How to use be okay when THINGS GO WRONG and use unpredictability as a moment of growth. Putting your needs first & maximising COMFORT Outro Eating disorders can increase rigid thinking, anxiety, overwhelm. They can make us less able to tolerate discomfort and all the chaos that can come with travel. People with Anorexia are also more likely to have co-occurring conditions such as OCD, Autism, and Anxiety Disorders. This can add to the overall stress of travel and may mean you need extra planning & reassurance. So I hope this episode provides that! Don’t forget to check out parts 1 & 2 of this summer mini-series! Links: Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk Instagram: @realrecoveryuk Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast Substack: recent article (anxiety tools & research)

Pressure to diet, look good in photos, have a buzzing social life… How to deal with triggers, access relief & self- compassion, and overcome insecurities this summer. Overview: Intro DIET CULTURE.. . (how to not be triggered when people around you are trying to lose weight) FOOD RESTRICTION (why some people can restrict & why YOU shouldn’t) SOCIAL MEDIA (everyone is ‘living their best life!!!’) FOMO- 2 ways to handle this… (self compassion + allowing rest) + (challenging your anxiety) PHOTOS (the pressure to take pictures with friends/ family *but you’re insecure*…) Outro Don’t forget to check out parts 1 & 3 of this summer mini-series! Links: Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk Instagram: @realrecoveryuk Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast Substack: recent article (anxiety tools & research)

Practical advice for coping with body-image this summer (including a journaling exercise walk-through!) Overview: Intro Body exposure work Preparation/ planning to maximise comfort Journaling exercise walk-through Comparison Bloating Viewing your body as an organism vs an object Outro Don’t forget to check out parts 2 & 3 of this summer mini-series! Links: Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk Instagram: @realrecoveryuk Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast Substack: recent article (anxiety tools & research)

8 Evidence- based coping skills... what to do when 'have a bath' doesn't work?? How to prevent panic attacks??? This episode discusses some of the most effective techniques I have discovered for QUICKLY lowering anxiety levels. These tips have been helping me successfully prevent panic attacks (for over a year!) and have made my difficult days with OCD/ Anxiety easier to cope with. I hope they can help you too! Overview I give a brief summary of my experience & history of anxiety/ panic attacks. I share the 8 techniques & delve into the scientific mechanisms at play for each.* At the end of the episode, I give a mini update on my recovery/ where I have been. This episode is not medical advice, and should just be treated as interesting information rather than instruction for the individual! The Podcast episode by Huberman Lab that I referenced: Podcast: Huberman Lab, episode 10. Master Stress: Tools for Managing Stress & Anxiety. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/huberman-lab/id1545953110?i=1000512053623 * If you want to read more about any of the topics I spoke about in today's episode, click here to read my detailed article. I included links to all of the journal articles/ webpages, as well as summary captions so it is easier for you to find out more about the studies I referenced today. Thank you for listening! & Thank to everyone who is being patient with email responses and DM replies (I have also been having tech issues which i think i forgot to mention!), and to anyone who has kindly reached out during my inactivity on Instagram- I am excited to come back soon and interact with you guys again! Lots of love Etsy Shop Instagram - @realrecoveryuk @realrecoverypodcast Substack -https://realrecoveryuk.substack.com/p/anxiety-toolkit-how-to-calm-down

How to MOVE FORWARDS? How to step out of your comfort zone without getting overwhelmed? Overview of the tips I share… Reconnect with your old passions/ hobbies. Go with your gut instinct in everyday decisions. Engineer your social media environment to enhance non-ed parts of yourself. Join a club. Start a meaningful project. Cut ties with toxic reminders of your ED. Make plans frequently that feel manageable to YOU. (+ how to make all of this less stressful!) Unlike pt. 1 &2 of this 'identity series', in today's episode I share the things I am CURRENTLY doing to propel me forwards into being fully recovered. I have collected a list of ideas that have been impactful for me, and, more importantly, things that have helped the FULLY RECOVERED individuals with whom I have spoken. I hope you have found this mini series helpful! Thanks so much for listening!  If you find the ⁠Real Recovery Podcast⁠ helpful, please rate & review because it helps more people find it! Instagram: @⁠realrecoveryuk ⁠and ⁠@realrecoverypodcast⁠ Website: ⁠www.realrecovery.co.uk⁠ Email: [email protected] Etsy: ⁠RealRecoveryUK⁠

Let me throw a bunch of tips at you... In today's episode, I share how (and why) I accessed my 'Recovery Identity'. Identifying as 'a person in recovery' was a great short term solution for me. It enabled me to take positive action and reduce guilt & shame. I hope this episode helps you! Part 2/3 of my 'identity' mini series... Thanks so much for listening!  If you find the ⁠Real Recovery Podcast⁠ helpful, please rate & review because it helps more people find it! Instagram: @⁠realrecoveryuk ⁠and ⁠@realrecoverypodcast⁠ Website: ⁠www.realrecovery.co.uk⁠ Email: [email protected] Etsy: ⁠RealRecoveryUK⁠