Eating Disorder Symptoms and the Holiday Season

For most, the holidays are a time of celebration and enjoying the company  of loved ones. For those with eating disorders, though, emotions are quite different. There is the stress of interacting with family members and communicating about the disorder, internal pressures, comments from  family members about your physical appearance, and the pressures of  eating in front of people.

If you want to enjoy the holidays, it’s important that you develop steps  for managing your symptoms this season. Here are a few tips to get you  started:

• Always go to holiday functions with someone you trust. This person should be familiar with your condition and understand how to  provide emotional support.
• Develop a way of communicating issues with your trustful companion in case you need to step out.
• If appropriate, bring a dish of your own to holiday events so you can ensure there will at least be one item you can eat.
• Anticipate potential problems and develop ways of handling or coping with them. People will undoubtedly make snide comments and rude remarks, regardless of whether they are intentional or not.
• Follow the HALT acronym which says: never let yourself get too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.
• Stick to your treatment plan at all costs. Learning to handle yourself in high-pressure situations will help you improve.

At Bridges to Recovery, we are committed to helping our patients manage and recover from eating disorders. Don’t let the holiday season affect your desire to seek eating disorder treatment. For more information on our specialized programs and advanced treatment options, contact us today.