When the Holidays Collide With Eating Disorder Recovery

"For many people, the holidays are described as joyful, festive, and full. For those in eating disorder recovery, they can also be complicated, emotionally charged, and exhausting. From Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve, food is everywhere, routines are disrupted, bodies are on display in photos, and cultural messages about indulgence and "starting over" grow louder by the day. Even when moments are meaningful or joyful, they can coexist with heightened anxiety, body image distress, and a sense of emotional overload."

"Eating disorders are reinforced by predictability and control. The holidays tend to disrupt both. Meals may happen later or earlier than usual. Familiar foods may be replaced by ones that carry fear or meaning. You may be eating in front of people who comment on food, weight, or appearance, sometimes casually, sometimes without awareness of the impact. There is also the emotional layer. Family dynamics, grief, loneliness, or memories from past holidays can surface unexpectedly."

"As the calendar approaches year-end, another layer often appears. Conversations turn toward resolutions, resets, and making up for holiday eating. Cultural messages about starting over, getting back on track, or becoming a better version of yourself grow louder. For someone in recovery, this can feel like a quiet invitation to return to old patterns under a socially acceptable"

Holidays disrupt routines that often stabilize eating disorder recovery. Food-focused gatherings, irregular meal timing, unfamiliar foods, and visible bodies heighten anxiety and body-image distress. Predictability and control that reinforce disordered patterns are undermined by holiday schedules and social conditions. Family dynamics, grief, loneliness, and draining social interactions add emotional burden and can trigger urges. Year-end cultural messages about resets and starting over can normalize returning to old patterns. Increased urges during the season are stress responses, not failure. Recovery during the holidays centers on compassionate care, boundary-setting, and prioritizing emotional safety over perfection.

Read at Psychology Today