AHEAD OF ED

in lacanian psychoanalysis, jouissance refers to a kind of enjoyment that goes beyond pleasure, often tipping into discomfort, excess, or even suffering. it is not the same as liking something or feeling good in a stable way, but more like being caught in an intensity that is hard to step out of and can repeat even when it feels destructive.

in eating disorders, this idea is sometimes used to think about why certain behaviours can feel compelling even when they are distressing. the focus is not on the behaviour itself, but on how it can create a heightened bodily or emotional state that temporarily regulates tension, emptiness, or anxiety.

this does not mean people “enjoy” their eating disorder in a simple sense. instead, it points to a paradox where something can feel both unbearable and strangely stabilising at the same time, which can help explain why these patterns can be so repetitive and hard to disrupt.

recovery, in this framing, is not only about stopping behaviours, but about learning to tolerate emotional states without needing intensity or bodily extremes to manage them. 🤍