dating in ED recovery — what nobody prepares you for | the recovered-ish podcast ep. 29

Episode DescriptionThis is the episode I've been asked for since the beginning of this podcast — and the one I never thought I'd actually record.Dating in eating disorder recovery is complicated in ways nobody really talks about. The body image stuff. The intimacy stuff. The validation-seeking that can look a lot like the disorder wearing a different mask. And eventually finding someone who makes you feel like a whole person.In this episode I'm sharing all of it — including things I've never told the internet before.In This Episode:Why the eating disorder became my "new boyfriend" after a breakupThe validation loop I fell into when I first started dating in recoveryWhat it felt like to show up in a recovered body — body checking, disconnection during intimacy, comparisonHow I finally flipped the script on datingHow I met my husband — including the text I sent trying to end it after date twoHow and when to tell someone about your eating disorder historyWhat to do when a partner's food behaviors are triggeringThe self-inquiry practice that helps when body image comes up in intimacyTimestamps:0:00 Intro 4:00 Today's topic — dating and intimacy in ED recovery 5:00 My high school relationship and self-worth 8:00 The breakup that contributed to my ED escalating 10:00 What dating looked like when I was deep in my disorder 14:00 The validation loop of dating apps 17:00 How that loop mirrored the eating disorder 19:00 What it felt like to date in a recovered body 23:00 Realigning to values in dating 27:00 How I met my husband 29:00 Telling someone about your ED history 33:00 When a partner's food behaviors are triggering 36:00 What my husband did differently 41:00 Self-inquiry for body image in intimacy 44:00 Closing thoughtsResources + Connect with Me:Recovery Skills Training + Summer Workshops — use code PODCAST57 for $57 off: https://recoverwithchloe.thrivecart.com/recovery-skills-training/Instagram: @recoverwithchloeLeave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple PodcastsSubscribe on YouTubeKeywords/Tags: dating in eating disorder recovery, intimacy and eating disorders, body image and dating, ED recovery relationships, telling a partner about eating disorder, recovered-ish podcast, chloe cox, ED recovery podcastResources + Connect with Me:Instagram: @recoverwithchloeRecovery Skills Training: use code PODCAST for $57 off!Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple PodcastsSubscribe on YouTube!