For many people Thanksgiving is a welcomed celebration, a time to be with loved ones and a chance to reflect on all that they are grateful for. Unfortunately, the Thanksgiving holiday can also mean high levels of stress and anxiety, particularly for those who struggle with eating disorders. .Although it is a special day to give thanks it has also been a holiday that has been portrayed as being all about food. Which can be a trigger to those who suffer from an eating disorder it can be mentally and physically draining. With many people not eating the week before or cutting their calorie intake in preparation to eat and fit in at the dinner table. I will be sharing some tips that may be helpful to those who have had, have, or know someone with an eating disorder.
Enjoy Family Time– Enjoy spending time with your loved ones and keep yourself distracted try not to think so much about the food as it can stress you out and trigger a mental breakdown.
Visualize the Thanksgiving You Want – Before Thanksgiving spend some time visualizing the day in a positive way and picturing yourself handling the stress and the meals in calm, healthy ways. It is much easier to get through the real situation if you’ve already “seen” yourself succeed at it before! Do not be so tough on yourself and remember that it is okay to indulge once in a while.
Breathe and Relax! – This may sound simple but it is something that some may take for granted. When you take a few seconds to breathe slowly and deeply, even in a stressful situation, you can actually produce a state of relaxation.
Focus On The love and Positivity – Stay focused on what is good about the holiday and on all the things you do have, instead of what you should not be eating. Be grateful for all things that are good in your life focus on your strengths like the ability to walk, to see, to hear, to taste, to touch, and for having a roof over our heads. You might be surprised to see just how many things you are grateful for this holiday season! Try to keep those in your mind, even if things are not going so well around you. Think about the positive and you will see it will slowly overlook the negative.
Be safe and take care of yourself. Do what you need to do and what you believe is best and healthiest for you. Make sure that you let your loved ones know how you feel and how much of a stressful situation it can be for you they will support you and be your rock. Talking to your loved ones about your feelings will help you mentally unload and you will feel so much better knowing that you have them by your side helping you.
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