7 Tips to Navigate Your Eating Disorder During the Holiday Season
Navigating anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia or any other eating disorder is anything but linear. And the holiday season can be an added layer of stress and anxiety for those suffering or recovering from an eating disorder. No matter where you are in your disordered eating recovery journey, it is challenging to be around others in environments that revolve around festive meals and food-related traditions.
The holiday season for many with an ED or in ED recovery can feel like the superbowl of negative thoughts and body image, anxiety, decreased self-esteem and even sadness. Which is why it feels impossible to try to keep your eating disorder from controlling your holiday season. It can feel easier to let the eating disorder voice win because it is so exhausting to keep your ED in check. And as exhausting as it is, you can still support yourself through the holiday season with the list of tips below.
Tips for Navigating the Holidays While Recovering from an Eating Disorder
Acknowledge that the holidays may be stressful and anxiety inducing for you
Identify the trigger foods that may be present and make a plan to limit your exposure to those foods or as an opportunity to challenge yourself to try them! Feel out what feels good for you in that moment
Take space to understand how you want to address those who have food or weight-based conversations
Be mindful of your ED voice vs. your authentic Self
Focus on self-care
Have a support network
Schedule a session with your therapist to talk about anxieties you may have about this year surrounding food and come up with a plan of how you want to effectively manage them
Whether you're at a holiday dinner or a gathering with friends, hopefully, these tips will help you find and use your own authentic voice. You can encourage yourself to run through this list beforehand as a tool to identify a tip or tips that you may want to have in your back pocket. Lastly, we know that dinner parties, social pressure and changes in your daily routine are going to make it more difficult to manage your eating disorder and symptoms of your eating disorder. It seems daunting but remember, there are tools to help you cope and you have the power to implement them this upcoming holiday season!
