"The holiday season can stir up a complex blend of excitement and dread, especially for people in eating disorder recovery. Food-centered gatherings, shifting routines, unsolicited comments about bodies, and long-standing family dynamics can activate anxiety even when your recovery feels steady. Being anxious does not mean you are failing. It means you are human. Recovery is hard work on an ordinary day. It takes effort, attention, and support even when life is calm."
"The goal is not perfection. The goal is to support yourself with steadiness, compassion, and tools that help you stay connected to what matters most. Here are eight tips to help you move through the season with clarity and care. 1. Set intentions instead of rigid expectations Perfection is not the point. Choose a simple intention such as staying connected to your meal plan, practicing self-kindness, or checking in with your body throughout the day. Intentions create direction without pressure."
Holidays can intensify anxiety for people in eating disorder recovery because food-centered gatherings, shifting routines, unsolicited body comments, and family dynamics can activate old patterns. Experiencing anxiety does not indicate failure. Recovery requires steady effort, attention, and support even in calm times, and holidays increase the need for compassionate self-care. Practical strategies include setting intentions rather than rigid expectations, planning with a support team, maintaining consistent meals to regulate body and brain, limiting diet and body talk, and prioritizing connection, grounding, and personal values to protect emotional and physical stability.
Read at Psychology Today
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