Eating · Cognitive
Feared Consequences — Decatastrophizing
Name the prediction, test the prediction
Every food rule and behavior is defended by a feared consequence: "if I eat this, I'll gain 10 pounds by morning," "if I stop weighing, I'll spiral," "if I have dessert, I'll never stop." Naming the prediction — and then actually testing it — is how the rules dissolve.
The prediction
The food / behavior I'm avoiding
What I fear will happen (be specific — amount, timeline)
How likely I predict this is (0–100%)
How bad it would be if it happened (0–100)
Reality check
Evidence for the prediction
Evidence against (biology, past experience, others' outcomes)
If it did happen — could I cope? How?
A more likely outcome
The behavioral test
What I'll actually do
SUDS before
What happened
SUDS 24h later
The disorder is a bad forecaster
ED predictions almost never come true, and when something like them does, it is smaller and shorter than the disorder promised. Every completed test weakens the next prediction.