If you have or are in recovery from BED, Turner has a few suggestions that can help you get through the holiday season in the best way possible for your mental and physical health.
Make a Plan
If you’re in treatment for your eating disorder, Turner recommends leaning on your team of professionals to help you get by. Before the holiday season is in full swing, Turner says, your team should help you come up with a coping plan for tough days.
“Rely on your group members, your therapist, your nutritionist,” she says. “[Rely on] whoever is seeing you to really come up with a plan around how you’re going to handle difficult situations.”
Find a Friend
“These disorders tend to push us into isolation. When emotions are running high, isolation is likely to occur,” Turner says. That’s why she advises having a friend, or someone who makes you feel safe, at the ready. This could be through a text, phone call, or in person, but having someone you can talk through your plan with or just tell your feelings to can be helpful to help avoid a binge. If you don’t have someone you already know who can be that person, Turner emphasizes that there are still people who can help.
“Think about someone who may be a safe sounding board for you. When you want to isolate with food, you can talk with that person,” Turner says. “The biggest thing is to have people around you who you can rely on and share with. If that’s not possible, look for online groups…where that support can be found and you can write your feelings.”
Make a Call
If you’re not currently in recovery and don’t have a team of professionals to help you build a coping plan, but you are interested in seeking help, Turner says the NEDA helpline is a great place to start. She also recommends looking for an eating disorder-friendly therapist, or looking for online resources — but be careful with your sources.
“NEDA offers a helpline that is staffed by individuals who are highly trained on eating disorders and the impact. They can offer resources, so that’s a nice go-to if you’re not sure where else to turn,” Turner says. “Depending on where you are, there are resources in some communities. Eating disorder specialists, and so forth. It’s really, really important that when you are looking around for resources, you do find someone who is specialized in eating disorders. They are complicated. Definitely more harm than good can be done if it’s not someone trained in this area.”
