(Lynn Desjardins/ Radio Canada International) — The COVID-19 pandemic has made life difficult in many ways but it poses several unique challenges for those battling eating disorders. Myriad restrictions and mixed messaging can make it hard for people to manage their recovery and access treatment, according to researchers at Western University in Ontario.
“These conditions have created the perfect storm for eating disorder onset and relapse,” says Jaclyn Siegel, a doctoral candidate in social psychology and co-author of a paper published in Eating Disorders: Journal of Treatment and Prevention.
A major difficulty can be the limited access to restaurants and grocery stores which impedes the flexible eating and proper nutrition that is important to eating disorder recovery. Those with restrictive eating disorders may use public health directives about limiting shopping trips to avoid buying food and eating. Alternatively, that advice may encourage people to stockpile food which can be problematic for those struggling with binge eating.
Forced closures or restricted hours of gym, fitness centres and pools have made it more difficult to engage in gentle physical activities that can help people to manage their conditions. It has also become much harder to get appointments with doctors, therapists and others who provide treatment. (…)