Navigating the Discomfort of Feeling Full in Eating Disorder Recovery
At the height of my struggle with my eating disorder, I always went to bed hungry. The physical sensation of my stomach feeling empty made me feel accomplished as I climbed into bed. I started to view that familiar ache of hunger as a sign that I was exercising enough discipline throughout each day-that I was working out hard enough, and that I was doing an overall “good job” of keeping my appetite and body “in check.”
My recovery journey – and maybe yours, too – has been marked with notable physical, emotional, and mental challenges and changes. Becoming comfortable with the feeling of fullness in eating disorder recovery has been one of the most significant challenges I continue to face.
Why Do I Hate the Feeling of Being Full?
When you begin recovery for your eating disorder, you find yourself in a space where you are forced to confront fears, uncomfortable emotions, challenges, and triggers that have had a grip over your relationship with food and your body.
The discomfort of feeling full can feel threatening- it can trigger the desire to revert back to old eating disorder behaviors. For many people, fullness gets tied to guilt, shame, and fear of losing control.
When I started to eat to the point of fullness, I would feel like I had lost control over my mind and body. I would feel guilt and shame for overeating, and my mind would frantically start thinking of ways I could make up for the perceived “damage” I had just done. It was uncomfortable to the point of being distressing at times. Maybe you can resonate.
Understanding the Uncomfortable Feeling of Fullness
Feeling full after a meal is a natural and healthy response to eating. It's your body's way of signaling that it has received the nourishment it needs. However, for those in eating disorder recovery, feeling full can trigger feelings of anxiety, guilt, and a desire to regain control by restricting or compensating.
I would (and still sometimes do) find myself thinking that I should be able to find a “balance” between feeling full and feeling hungry. Like, if I can just not feel like I am starving, that should be good enough. Certainly, I don’t need to feel entirely full to be nourishing my body and mind.
I learned and now know logically that these thoughts and emotions are a result of the deeply ingrained beliefs and habits that my eating disorder fostered- but it takes a lot of time, healing, and practice to truly believe this.
4 Strategies for Making Peace with Fullness in Eating Disorder Recovery
One of the essential steps in overcoming the discomfort of fullness is learning coping and grounding strategies to help you through moments of distress. The goal is to shift from viewing fullness as a threat to seeing it as a positive sign of progress and nourishment.
If you are struggling to make peace with fullness in your own recovery, here are four gentle strategies that can help:
1. Sit with the Physical Sensation of Fullness
Allow yourself to fully experience the physical sensation of feeling full. Notice:
How does your stomach feel?
What is your energy level?
What other physical sensations come up?
Simply noticing these cues can help your nervous system disarm what your body and mind initially register as a “threat.” Over time, you begin to teach your body that fullness can be safe.
2. Challenge and Reframe Negative Thoughts
When fullness triggers negative thoughts, work toward actively challenging them. Our minds associate familiarity with safety- so it makes sense that the emptiness of hunger may feel safer than fullness, especially after years of reinforcement.
Remind yourself that learning to tolerate fullness is a key milestone in eating disorder recovery. Each time you sit with fullness without turning to behaviors, you’re strengthening your brain’s ability to recognize that nourishment and safety can coexist.
3. Distract and Engage Gently
If fullness feels overwhelming or distressing, engage in activities that soothe or ground you after eating. Try reading, taking a gentle walk, meeting up with a friend, or watching a comforting show. Redirecting your attention can help your body process fullness without panic, supporting your recovery instead of reverting to old patterns.
4. Give Yourself Time and Grace
This may sound simple, but it’s deeply true: healing your relationship with fullness takes time.
When you have a tough day- when fullness feels intolerable or shame takes over- remind yourself that one difficult moment doesn’t erase your progress. Offering yourself compassion and curiosity (“What made that so hard today?”) can make space for learning instead of judgment.
Over time, your capacity to sit with fullness will grow. It truly does get easier.
Watch: Dr. Colleen Reichmann on Fullness in Recovery
Hear more about these strategies directly from Dr. Colleen Reichmann in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec49x6T5T3U&t=41s Remembering Your Strength in Recovery
Remembering Your Strength in Recovery
Making peace with the feeling of fullness in eating disorder recovery is challenging. From my own experience, this process is nonlinear-sometimes exhausting and discouraging- but it is also profoundly redemptive.
By reframing your perspective, using coping strategies, seeking support, and acknowledging your progress, you can gradually learn to navigate this discomfort without turning to old habits. Remember, recovery is a process, and every step forward is a victory worth celebrating.
Even when your eating disorder works overtime to convince you otherwise, you are stronger, more capable, and more resilient than it wants you to believe.
How Eating Disorder Therapy in Philadelphia, PA Can Help You Heal
If you’re struggling with the discomfort of fullness or any aspect of recovery, eating disorder therapy in Philadelphia or the Main Line can help.
Our therapists at Wildflower Therapy specialize in helping people rebuild trust with their bodies, navigate the fear of fullness, and cultivate self-compassion. You can learn more about our team here, and book a free consultation here.
You don’t have to keep doing this alone. With the right support, learning to feel safe in your body again is possible.
Other Mental Health Services Provided by Wildflower Therapy in Pennsylvania
Life is complex and beautifully imperfect- and we’re here to meet you wherever you are. In addition to eating disorder therapy, our Philadelphia therapists provide:
Perinatal and maternal mental health therapy
Therapy for college students and athletes
If you’re ready to start therapy in Philadelphia, the Main Line area, or virtually anywhere in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Delaware, Florida, Massechusetts, Vermont, Ohio, or South Caroline, reach out today. We’d be honored to walk alongside you on your path to healing.
*Updated November 2025 for clarity and new insights.