Hitting the bottom is strangely liberating. It’s easier to throw caution to the wind when it feels like the worst has already happened.
The ‘what have you got to lose’ approach is similar to “what’s the worst that can happen?” in psychiatric speak. The latter never worked for me – because if I knew what ‘the worst that could happen’ was then it wouldn’t be so terrifying – but the former’s been quite useful.
The subtle difference? The ‘worst that can happen’ assumes something bad in the outcome; the ‘nothing to lose’ admits that your starting place ain’t worth conserving.
A few examples. Talking to new people is quite daunting for most people – because it can be a little embarrassing and you might get rejected and you have to stick your head over the parapet a little. If you’re starting from the isolated position that an eating disorder can lead you to, however, there’s really nothing to lose: even if you’re rejected, you won’t be any worse off than you were to start with.
Similarly, if you’re trying to get out of those OCD shackles that have been driving you to distraction – well, change may feel a little scary; but, going around in the same circle is hardly a great starting position.
Stopping throwing up may be a scary prospect to the bulimic – but when you’ve already started to lose your teeth and your face has swollen to resemble a hamster’s pouch….well, abstinence isn’t likely to be quite that bad. Putting on that first kilo may rock anorexia’s boat; but resembling a skeleton does not live up to its reputation either.
When it feels like you’ve hit the bottom and there’s nothing to make you smile about, you can wallow in self-pity – or survey the blank canvas, shrug your shoulders, and enjoy the fact that things can’t get any worse –
- so you might as well just get better because there’s really nothing left to lose –
Tags: Positivity
