(Michelle Pugle/ Everyday Health) — Although the holidays can be a wonderful time of the year for many, they can be tough for someone with an eating disorder who is trying to stay on track with their recovery.
The season tends to be full of food-focused events, which can cause intense anxiety for the estimated 30 million Americans with eating disorders, as research has shown.
Stress can arise from encountering certain types or quantities of food, gaining weight, or worrying about how to handle comments about how they look or what they’re eating, says Kim Anderson, PhD, the clinical director of the Eating Recovery Center of the East Region who is based in the Baltimore area.
“During the holiday season, it can feel like there is no escaping all of these fear cues,” Dr. Anderson says. This can make it difficult to avoid falling back on old, disordered eating patterns, like restricting or bingeing, to relieve anxiety, stress, and other negative emotions.
The holidays also tend to be packed with parties, group dinners, and travel that inevitably disrupt everyday routines, including the structured meal plans essential for recovery for many, Anderson says. (…)