How to Enjoy Valentine’s Day When You’re in Recovery from an Eating Disorder

Contributor: Staff at Montecatini Eating Disorder Treatment Center

Major calendar events, including holidays like the Fourth of July, Halloween, and Valentine’s Day, are when people typically indulge in high-calorie foods and sweet treats. People often celebrate Valentine’s Day by going out for a fancy dinner or baking decadent desserts. This can prove stressful for those who are in recovery from an eating disorder.

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be all about food. It’s a day to express your love for those closest to you. Some show that love by offering food to their friends, family, or significant others, so it isn’t always easy to avoid. But holidays don’t have to be major obstacles for your eating disorder recovery. The good news is that you can turn February 14 into a day of celebration.

Finding ways to maintain recovery during holidays

It is important to be mindful of potential triggers that can come up when you’re in recovery from an eating disorder. When you have an eating disorder, getting invited out to eat can be especially challenging. Rather than enjoying the heart-shaped décor, participating in typical Valentine’s Day activities, and spending time with the ones you love most, you might experience overwhelming stress.

Environmental triggers can make it difficult to control the urge to eat in ways that can be harmful to your physical and emotional health. People who struggle with binge-eating disorder (BED), for example, may find it difficult to stop eating when exposed to foods they’ve labeled forbidden or that trigger their eating disorder symptoms [1]. Just being around certain foods can cause a binge-eating episode and lead to relapse. Therefore, it’s critical for those who are in recovery from an eating disorder to come up with a game plan to combat environmental, social, and other triggers.

So, what can you do to avoid your triggers and enjoy Valentine’s Day this year?

Tips for having fun this Valentine’s Day while in recovery

Most holidays involve eating, so it can be stressful for people who are in recovery from an eating disorder when a holiday comes around. These tips can help make your Valentine’s Day more enjoyable:

1. Be kind to yourself.

Shift the focus of Valentine’s Day from potential triggers to positive aspects of the holiday. Immersing yourself in self-care practices, including trying out a new face mask, starting an herb garden, walking through a park, or meditating, is a great way to reduce stress. Experts also suggest that self-care can help minimize triggers individuals who are trying to regain control of their eating behaviors experience [2]. Self-care can include reading self-help books, using smartphone apps, and finding other resources that might benefit your recovery.

2. Spend the day with someone.

Even if you’re single this Valentine’s Day, you can still spend it with a friend, family member, or coworker. Given the ongoing pandemic, virtual meetings are a great way to celebrate with others. If you can’t celebrate the holiday in person, there are tons of online games and other activities you and your loved ones can do together. Social interaction is key when you feel isolated, and Valentine’s Day is meant to be spent with the ones you care about. Think of some activities you enjoy, and find someone special to do them with.

3. Reach out to an online support group.

It is important to have a support system or online community you can reach out to in times of need. If you find yourself feeling vulnerable or lonely this Valentine’s Day, your support group can act as a safety net. Having people to talk to when you are in recovery from an eating disorder can help you combat negative feelings that can be brought on by the holidays. Individuals who have an eating disorder can find solace and a sense of solidarity when they speak with others who have similar struggles, particularly in online forums like Reddit [2]. It’s not always easy to get a handle on your recovery, so please don’t hesitate to reach out when you need someone to lend an ear.

Maintaining recovery from an eating disorder can be stressful no matter what holiday it is. But having a plan in place can help you gain ownership of your healing process and navigate this Valentine’s Day with ease.

References

[1] Gearhardt, A. N., White, M. A., & Potenza, M. N. (2011, September). Binge eating disorder and food addiction. Current drug abuse reviews, 4(3), 201–207. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874473711104030201

[2] Shields, A. N., Taylor, E., & Welch, J. R. (2022, Jan. 15). Understanding the conversation around covid-19 and eating disorders: A thematic analysis of Reddit. Journal of Eating Disorders, 10 (1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-022-00530-z

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About Montecatini

Montecatini provides comprehensive treatment for women who are struggling with eating disorders and co-occurring mental health concerns.

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The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective on eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer a discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Published February 14th, 2022, on EatingDisorderHope.com
Reviewed & Approved on March 12, 2024 by Baxter Ekern, MBA