When I was in the third grade I was first introduced to “Star Wars.” My interest was piqued when I saw trailers for “The Phantom Menace” and thought that the young actor, Jake Lloyd, was super crushable. What started off as innocent interest in seeing the movie soon become obsession; “Star Wars” posters adorned my room, my sleepover birthday party that year was Star Wars themed, and I breathed the force. I saw all the films and learned to understand the value of the original 3 (aka as the only 3) as compared to the prequels.
This week at work my abilities were tested. As an eating disorder therapist in a day treatment program I was speaking with the clients about “Star Wars,” in anticipation of “Rogue One” Just as I was explaining the premise of “Star Wars,” my coworker Jessyka invited me to lead an impromptu group connecting “Star Wars” themes to eating disorder and overall mental health recovery.
And of course I was up for the challenge.
Now, after seeing “Rogue One” last night, my inner nine year old, the nerdy girl who wore Star Wars t-shirts while everyone obsessed over Aaron Carter and lip gloss, is ready to reflect.
1. “There’s more than one prison. I think you carry yours wherever you go.” – Churrit Imwe Let’s start with the most recent film, and a line that stuck with me since I heard its utterance. Struggling with an eating disorder or any mental health issue can feel like an internal prisoner. An irrational internal prison. Those around you try to find the key suggesting things like “just do it” as if the prison walls can disintegrate with the right key words. The suffering, the pain of mental illness can feel endless. As a survivor of Anorexia I can speak to this pain, the prison of my own mind and my desire to get out as well as my fear of what that would mean. Recovery is not simple but it is possible. And with therapy and practice and support one is able to break down the walls and find freedom.
2. The Force. This energy that one can use for good or evil. The force is like one’s capacity and at work we lead a group called Asset VS Liability which explores how we can use the same traits to enhance the eating disorder or instead use them toward recovery. For instance: if an individual is determined and endorses perfectionism how might s/he use this toward recovery. Just as one can use the force for growth rather than misconstrue it for evil.
3. “If you end your training now-if you choose the quick and easy path, as Vader did-you will become an agent of evil.” – Yoda. Recovery is a process that takes time. Oftentimes when one enters recovery, there is a desire for a different sort of life, a life without suffering. To commit to recovery takes time and often there is an ambivalence that s/he may carry throughout the process as this is the nature of mental illness. The journey toward recovery takes practice, challenges, failures and ascension, much to the chagrin of individuals, families, and clinicians. It would be simple if this could happen swiftly, just as Yoda needed to remind Luke that training would not be “quick and easy.” If one simply eats the food and keeps it down, or starts anti-depressants, the true work that must be paired with these practices is ignored, and the likelihood for true recovery is lowered. Patience is key; patience for oneself and for others to know that the process or “training” is worth it.
4. “You must unlearn what you have learned.” –Yoda Our minds are exceedingly more powerful than we imagine. Within mental illness, what feels good may not actually be good for us but for some reason our brain has learned this new understanding through internalization and adoption of behaviors. This is incredibly evident with regard to eating disorders: For an individual struggling eating too little, too much, or getting rid of the food eventually feels good. Our brain learns this through habit, or based on the psychological aspects to the disorder. It is not impossible to have a “normal” or adaptive relationship with food or the body, or to learn to handle anxious life experiences, etc. Rather, we must unlearn – through practice and therapy – what we have come to learn and believe.
5. “Always pass on what you have learned.” - Yoda This lesson is one that has influenced my life. There are some who enter fields as related to their own struggles and experiences and there are some who leave it behind. And of course there are many options in between. Passing on what one has learned can mean teaching those through your experiences. In my case I became a therapist due to my own history with depression and an eating disorder. I wanted to role model that recovery is possible. But this can also mean using your fervor for life to do good in the world. Whether it is through kindness, charity, sponsorship, or even writing articles about how “Star Wars” can be connected to recovery, there is so much room for giving back.
My inner nine year old, the lonely girl who escaped through movies and characters is now thriving. And she hopes that as you fight whatever battle it is you’re fighting, you remember that as Qui-Gon said, “Your focus determines your reality.” Use your focus and your strengths and your supports to forge ahead and make a reality that is greater for yourself.
Cue the theme music.
I claim no ownership over the above mentioned franchise, characters, etc.
