Eating Disorders and the Holidays: How to Cope

Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses with significant, life-threatening medical and psychiatric consequences. They can affect individuals of all ages, genders, socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities, and body sizes/shapes. Eating disorders are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Individuals with eating disorders may restrict food or fluid intake, experience loss of control overeating, engage in inappropriate purging/compensatory behaviors (e.g., vomiting, laxative/diuretic abuse, insulin misuse, excessive exercise), and/or experience troubles with body image and an intense fear of gaining weight.

Rebecca G. Boswell, PhD, Psychologist Supervisor at Princeton Center for Eating Disorders, offers tips and advice on coping with eating disorders during the holidays. “Eating disorders cause an increase in stress and anxiety around eating, and social situations involving food can be especially challenging,” says Dr. Boswell. “Given the stressors of the holiday season, it’s important to prioritize recovery.”

“It is also important to stay in communication with your treatment team (i.e., therapist, psychiatrist, nutritionist) and your support network (e.g., biological family, chosen family, supportive individuals with eating disorders). Sticking to regular eating even when big holiday meals are served can help to resist the urge to restrict eating and urge to binge eat. Sometimes holidays are setbacks. It’s okay to have good days and bad days. Remember the reasons why you’re fighting against the eating disorder and your hopes in recovery.”

The Princeton Center for Eating Disorders, located at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, is celebrating 25 years of providing high-quality, compassionate care for those with eating disorders. The Center now serves patients of all genders, ages 8 and up with a strong focus on evidence-based care and the expertise to treat a wide range of co-occurring medical conditions as part of its medical center setting. In 2020, the center received patient referrals from 40 states across the United States. For more information, visit www.princetonhcs.org/eatingdisorders.

Editors: We can provide a former patient to talk about their experiences.