Tips For Surviving The Holidays
The holiday season is known to be bursting with good cheer, but for someone dealing with an eating disorder, this time of the year may actually be full of dread. Eating is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, and there are countless food-centric social gatherings. Escaping disordered thoughts may seem impossible, but preparing for this confrontation will make staying confident and committed to recovery throughout the season much easier.
Here are some helpful tips to help you survive the holiday season. Pass them along!
1. If heading to a gathering where food is the center-point, offer to bring a dish that you know you are willing to eat. Then you can enjoy it with everyone else!
2. Take part in fun activities. Food isn’t usually a part of every holiday activity, and doing something fun and unrelated can help take your mind off of food worries and other things that cause stress.
3. Have a support system in place and know who you can reach out to when you need support. It may be helpful to talk to these individuals before any specific holiday gathering to let them know how they can support your recovery.
Eating Disorder Self Test. Take the EAT-26 self test to see if you might have eating disorder symptoms that might require professional evaluation. All answers are confidential.