0.9kg weight gain this week

Good news; we are 'on target' (or just about) with a 0.9kg gain over the past fortnight - and it's the first time we haven't been weighed every week. (Funny how I keep referring to it as 'we' but that's just the way it's become...) CAMHS thought Ben would get stressed and unable to cope with 14 days of not standing on the scales, but he was fine. Also, the 'contract' is still working splendidly and I am convinced that it is responsible for the progress we have made over the past 2 weeks. "Points win Prizes!" is Ben's mantra...


Of course some might say it isn't ideal to 'bribe' someone into recovering. But, from experience, I believe that if he didn't want to recover and was unable to stick to the recovery plan, then no amount of 'bribing' would work. I know, I tried it right at the start when I thought getting Ben 'back to normal' was as simple as dangling a large carrot in front of his face. It didn't work. This time, so far, things are different. But it is still early days.

Likewise the strict 'eating plan' we introduced at the start of the CAMHS treatment didn't work for us. It might work for a younger teenager, but Ben is virtually an adult and has always been incredibly independent. So we are having to tailor the recovery to suit the way he is. This doesn't mean compromising; it means carefully formulating plans in a way that Ben can embrace for long-term gain on all fronts.

This is markedly different from 'waiting until Ben is ready to recover'. Instead, it involves working WITH Ben very slowly towards recovery, gently encouraging him and refusing to let him stand still or go backwards.

But of course, it's never straightforward with an eating disorder and we must be prepared for rocky times ahead. No rose-coloured spectacles in the world of ED recovery!