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How to Navigate the Holiday Season with an Eating Disorder
Reviewed by: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC
As the holiday season approaches, the sights and smells of delicious food and the flurry of social events may feel overwhelming. The pressure to indulge in a holiday meal can make it an uphill battle for those struggling with an eating disorder or those in eating disorder recovery.
The constant barrage of unwanted thoughts and intense physical or emotional feelings can make it hard to enjoy the season and take care of yourself. But it’s possible to still participate fully in the joy of holiday events with the right mindset.
Holiday Season Challenges
A holiday gathering is typically not the time for diet talk. Many people use these events as excuses to indulge in the decadent dishes of the season. But the unspoken pressure for everyone to participate in this type of merriment can take a toll.
The urge to restrict food or engage in disordered eating behaviors can be especially triggered by holiday gatherings, particularly those that center around meals. A number of other catalysts, such as increased interaction with family, could also cause a backslide or worsening thoughts or behaviors.
That’s why it’s especially important to have a strategy for silencing that eating disorder voice, whether it’s enlisting a friend as a support person or utilizing another type of support system during the holiday season.
Tips to Help You Get Through the Holidays
During the holidays, you may be spending a lot of time around family members and friends who may not understand the struggles of an eating disorder.
This can make it especially difficult to communicate your needs and set healthy boundaries. But there are some steps you can take to minimize—or at least prepare for—these types of challenges.
Recognize Triggers
Be aware of the specific thoughts, situations, or events that trigger negative thoughts and feelings about food and body image. This can include holidays, family gatherings, or even certain types of food.
Identifying triggers makes it easier to anticipate, plan ahead for, or even altogether avoid them. If you’re unsure what your triggers are, speaking with a mental health professional can help. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), in particular, is focused on identifying these types of events.
Challenge Negative Thoughts
Negative thoughts or negative self-talk are often based on assumptions and beliefs that are not entirely accurate. For example, an individual struggling with an eating disorder may tell themselves eating certain foods makes them a bad person.
By and large, negative self-talk is irrational. Challenging the logic of these negative thoughts and questioning the evidence for them can be helpful ways to rob them of their power and change how they are perceived.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment without judgment. Focusing on the present makes it possible to break free from negative thoughts and feelings that are rooted in the past or worries that are based on the future.
You can practice mindfulness through meditation or deep breathing. If practiced regularly, mindfulness not only helps redirect attention away from distressing thoughts but can also rewire the brain to reduce reactivity to such thoughts.
Prioritize Self-Care
The holiday season is often crammed with holiday plans, events, and meet-ups. The schedule during this time can be erratic or especially full, which can impact self-care.
Self-care generally thrives on stability and routine. But that doesn’t mean it still can’t be practiced during the holiday season.
Set some time for yourself to indulge in your self-care rituals. Even goals like getting enough sleep or practicing mindfulness for five minutes a day can make a big difference toward continuing to support yourself and setting healthy boundaries.
Seek Support
Finally, it is important to seek support not just from yourself but others. Friends, family, a therapist, or a group therapy group can all be wonderful support people during this time.
Having this kind of outlet can help you receive emotional support, navigate difficult situations, and provide a safe space to talk about thoughts and feelings.
Though the steps may be simple, they require consistent practice to master. However, consistently repeating them can help reorient your brain in a more positive direction and help you make significant progress in your recovery journey.
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The Power of Thoughts
Thoughts are the mental processes that allow us to perceive, understand, and make sense of the world around us. They include everything from simple perceptions and sensations to complex ideas and emotions.
Thoughts can be positive or negative and are based on a combination of facts, assumptions, and beliefs. Studies show that thoughts such as worry and rumination—or deeply thinking about one thing—are common across a number of different mental health conditions.1
For someone with an eating disorder, thoughts can negatively influence behavior, emotions, and self-perception. Preoccupation with the control of eating, weight, and body shape is at the core of many eating disorder-related issues.1
Refocusing Your Thoughts During the Holidays
During the holiday season, when there is an emphasis on food and social gatherings, these negative thoughts can become even more pronounced. They can make it difficult for someone struggling with the condition to have fun and enjoy the moment. So how do you cope?
One key to refocusing your thoughts during the holidays is to shift your focus from food to other aspects of the season. Instead of fixating on what you can or cannot eat, try to focus on more positive things like:
- The joy of spending time with loved ones
- Participating in fun activities
- Creating new memories
Another helpful strategy is to set boundaries for yourself.
You can come up with a plan for handling difficult situations, such as parties or family gatherings before they happen. This gives you a better opportunity to calmly and rationally respond to any potential triggers.
Setting limits on how much time you will spend around certain foods or in certain situations can also help you feel more in control. And don’t be afraid to be up-front—expressing your needs and your boundaries to friends and family can prove helpful for everyone involved.
Finding Help for an Eating Disorder
If you’re finding it particularly difficult to navigate the holiday season, you can seek out further support from a mental health therapist or eating disorder specialist. These professionals are well-versed on these types of issues and can provide additional help, such as helping you challenge negative thoughts and refocus during the holiday.
Eating disorders are dangerous conditions in general, and if you or a loved one are struggling, it’s important to seek out help regardless.
Speaking with a trusted doctor or therapist is a good first step. They can point you in the direction of the types of treatment or programs that may be most beneficial for you.
But the most important thing to remember is that help is always available. It may seem difficult, but taking the first step can set you on a path to a happier and healthier future.
Resources
- Palmieri S, Mansueto G, Scaini S, Caselli G, Sapuppo W, Spada MM, Sassaroli S, & Ruggiero GM. (2021). Repetitive Negative Thinking and Eating Disorders: A Meta-Analysis of the Role of Worry and Rumination. Journal of Clinical Medicine; 10(11):2448.
Updated November 12, 2024.
