Navigating Halloween In Eating Disorder Recovery
As Halloween draws near, anxiety surrounding the holiday can be high. Candy and costumes can bring all kinds of chills as we make our way through October. If you are feeling stressed about the holiday, you are not alone. Being mindful and setting meaningful boundaries can be helpful.
By: Samreen Khan
Additionally, here are some tips for navigating eating disorder recovery during Halloween.
Continue Practicing Mindful, Intuitive Eating
Candy and other foods diet culture deems “bad” can be a significant source of anxiety around Halloween. You never have to “save up” to eat candy – you should nourish yourself all day. Regardless of your relationship with sweets, you deserve to listen to your body and have a good time. Remember, food isn’t moral – that Snickers bar isn’t “bad,” and you aren’t “bad” for eating it. Give yourself compassion and grace, enjoy seasonal foods when you want, and nourish yourself consistently and regularly to support yourself through Halloween.
Solidify A Plan To Reduce Anxiety
Spontaneity can be exciting, but it can also add an extra layer of nerves when struggling. Make a plan that allows you to engage in Halloween activities and still feel safe and supported. Whether packing snacks, scheduling check-ins, or practicing potential interactions, do whatever makes you feel more comfortable. If you feel safe doing so, confide in someone you trust about your fears. Having support can make all the difference in a stressful situation.
Wear Comfortable Clothes
Finding a costume can be stressful when you’re still struggling to find acceptance for your body. Do not feel pressured to wear anything that makes you self-conscious or uncomfortable. Wear clothes or costumes that are meant for your body as it is. Show yourself respect by wearing things that make you feel comfortable and happy. No outfit should make you feel like you must change your body to wear it.
Find Activities Unrelated To Food
While challenging yourself and facing specific fear foods is admirable, it is more than okay to take a different approach and find alternative options. Pumpkin patches, movie nights, and haunted houses are all fun and festive activities that don’t have to revolve around food. Please do not feel ashamed for not pushing yourself; knowing your limits is healthy. Lean on your support team to help guide you. Do what is best for you; the rest will come.
Remember, Halloween Is Just One Day
Despite what your eating disorder may tell you, you are capable of navigating this holiday and beyond. Don’t shame yourself for feeling anxious or overwhelmed. Halloween is just one day – the following morning presents a brand-new day and the start of a new month with new opportunities and experiences. The most important thing is to make sure you’re prioritizing your comfort while still pursuing recovery. You can always get support, recuperate, recenter yourself, and find the next right steps for you.
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.
Join BALANCE Founder & CEO Melainie Rogers (she/her) for a FREE webinar, Do You Have Food Rules? Fear Foods 101, on Thursday, October 27th, at 12:00 pm EST, to gain clarity on what ‘fear foods’ are and how to face your fears for the freedom you deserve. In this webinar, you will learn how ‘fear foods’ might be standing in your way, understand common food rules and where they come from, identify diet culture and its influence on how we relate to food, help shed some light on how to develop a positive relationship with food, and more! Click here to register for the webinar.
This post was written by BALANCE Blog Contributor, Samreen Khan (she/her/he/him).
Samreen is a high school graduate with an ardent drive to de-stigmatize mental illness and eating disorders. Born and raised in the Bay Area, she experienced the harmful effects of “fitspo” culture firsthand for most of her childhood. Throughout her own recovery journey, she became passionate about deconstructing diet culture and raising awareness about eating disorders in her everyday life. Samreen began extending her own ideology of intuitive eating and body neutrality to others by publishing her own writing online when she was fourteen, and has since received several awards for her prose and poetry. She has conducted research on the biological and evolutionary implications of familial mental illness, and is currently taking college-level Sociology and Psychology courses with hopes to delve further into the social and cultural constructs that bolster disordered eating, especially within marginalized communities. She’s grateful for the opportunity to combine two of her strongest passions — writing and mental health — by working with BALANCE!