How to Set Boundaries & Make this Holiday Season Subtly Recovery-Focused
As November flies by, the holidays are fast approaching. And while the holidays can be a wonderful time of seasonal festivities, they can be challenging for someone struggling with or recovering from an eating disorder.
By: Alexandra Carter
It can feel overwhelming to navigate stressful situations with family and loved ones. So how can you support yourself or a loved one to ensure a recovery-focused holiday season?
Here are five boundaries you can set for yourself and others to keep this holiday season recovery-focused.
Boundary 1: Make a “Safe” Dish
Much of the holiday season revolves around food. The increase in food-focused events around this season can be overwhelming, from family gatherings and potluck dinners to cultural expectations. If you or someone you know is struggling with food and body distress, these events can bring much more anxiety and overwhelm.
Boundary 2: Banish Diet Culture from the Scale to the Table.
Diet and body talk can run rampant during the holidays until New Year’s. It can feel like a diet culture marathon. Although it might not seem harmful, talking about bodies, sizes, appearances, and dieting are toxic, especially if you or someone you love struggles with food and body image distress. There is never a reason to talk about these things, especially not during holiday festivities.
You have every right to put away the scale (yours or someone else’s) and put a stop to diet and weight talk. Whether that means walking away, voicing your discomfort, or changing the subject, communicate what you need to feel supported and safe. Set boundaries that reflect the work you are doing beyond the holidays.
Boundary 3: Plan Other Activities
Food can bring people together, and often around the holidays, it does! However, holiday after holiday surrounded by food can get tiresome and challenging. One way to break it up is by planning other non-food-related activities. Plan a family outing or a trip to the movies, go for a walk, or play a game. Do things with your friends and loved ones that don’t center around food. In her article for SheKnows, Katherine Speller shares that connecting in these ways can take worries and stress out of the situation.
Boundary 4: Prepare for Challenging Moments
No matter what, the holidays are full of memorable and difficult moments. So, prepare yourself as best you can. Make a plan for when things get stressful. Practice what you might say to a nosy relative that oversteps a boundary. Bring an item that anchors you in your recovery mindset. Whatever you do, things might not always go as planned, but the more prepared you are, the more at ease you can feel.
Boundary 5: Get Support
The truth is you can’t control everything, and this season brings a lot of events, gatherings, and routine changes. One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to get support. You are worthy of a support system that is there for you every step of the way. You do not have to navigate the holidays alone.
The holiday season can feel overwhelming and isolating for anyone struggling with or recovering from an eating disorder. Be compassionate and non-judgmental as you navigate this time. It’s important to set boundaries and make choices that keep you recovery-focused. Do your best to tune into satisfaction and enjoyment. No matter where you are on your journey, you deserve to savor the holidays and enjoy every moment, from the experiences to the seasonal festivities to the delicious foods.
At BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, our compassionate, highly skilled team of clinicians is trained in diagnosing and treating the spectrum of eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive overeating, and other disordered eating and body image issues.
While the holidays are supposed to be a time of togetherness, tradition, and merriment, it can feel stressful and isolating for those with an eating disorder. Let BALANCE help you navigate the holidays and set the stage for lasting recovery. Our 12-day winter intensive program can help you jump-start your recovery. Our exclusive winter eating disorder treatment program fits conveniently within your winter break schedule, allowing you to invest in transformative care. Connect with our admissions team and learn more about our 12-day winter intensive program here.
This post was written by Intuitive Eating | HAES Content Creator, Alexandra Carter (she/her).
Alexandra Carter is a professional actor, turned certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and Health and Wellbeing Coach, turned Content Creator. After moving to NYC for her undergraduate degree in Musical Theater, Alexandra spent 10 years working all over the world as an actor/singer/dancer. Through her own healing journey, Alexandra found her way to the anti-diet space and went on to gain coaching and counseling certifications, in addition to starting her own coaching business. It was there she fell in love with content creation as a way of sharing ideas, genuinely connecting with people, and affecting powerful change. Alexandra is thrilled to be on the team at BALANCE, combining all her skills and passions to foster authentic healing.
References
7 Holiday eating disorder recovery tips. Walden Eating Disorders. (2022, March 8). Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.waldeneatingdisorders.com/blog/recovery-tips-for-the-holidays
How to support someone with an eating disorder during the holidays. How to Support Someone with an Eating Disorder During the Holidays | ResponseCenter. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.jcfs.org/response/blog/how-support-someone-eating-disorder-during-holidays
Speller, K. (2022, January 18). How to support friends with eating disorders this holiday season. SheKnows. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/2142985/support-friends-family-eating-disorder-recovery/