How To Manage Halloween With An Eating Disorder

For many people Halloween is an exciting time filled with costumes, parties and sweets but when you have an eating disorder, it can be an extremely terrifying and triggering time. It’s so important to put your health, happiness and recovery first, so I thought I would share some of my tips for maintaining your eating disorder recovery during Halloween.

    1.       Make People Hold You Accountable

If possible, spend Halloween with someone who knows about your eating disorder. A friend who can help distract you when you want to binge or a family member who can stand outside when you’re in the bathroom to make sure you don’t purge, someone who you can talk to honestly when you want to restrict or if you feel guilty. I also think it’s important to have a good support system the day after Halloween because, at least for me, this is when the guilt really hits. On the day of Halloween there are usually loads of distractions, your excitement and adrenaline may replace your destructive urges, but the next day I usually find myself in a fit of panic, reflecting on every bite and every calorie. It’s so important to continue in your self-care the day after Halloween. Continue to surround yourself with people you love and trust, keep distracting yourself, and stay focused on your recovery.

     2.       Wear Something Comfortable

Halloween is a glorious time when it is socially acceptable to wear pretty much anything you can think of, you can even go to a club in converse! (No heels! No blisters!) There are so many weird and wonderful costume ideas out there so you don’t have to wear something that makes you feel very self-conscious. You don’t even need to wear a costume, if wearing your everyday clothes makes you feel comfortable then do that! This is a time to have fun so don’t wear something you hate simply because you feel like you have to.

     3.       Shift Your Focus

      Food isn’t the only thing that defines this holiday. Try to focus on the other fun things like costumes, Halloween makeup, movies, books and games, or simply the opportunity to get together with friends or family. When you have an eating disorder it often feels like food is everywhere. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, parties and maybe that’s true to some degree – but it doesn’t have to be at the centre of everything.

4.       Bring Your Own Halloween Snacks

Although it’s great to challenge yourself to eat your fear foods, Halloween can be stressful enough as it is, so definitely bring your own favourite safety foods if you think that would make you more comfortable.

5.       Check in Times

If you are going to a party or a friend’s house you may find it helpful to set certain times when you can call a family member, a helpline or your treatment team to tell them how you’re doing and talk through anything you may be worried about.

6.       Keep it Outside of the House

      It can be a good idea to keep Halloween snacks out of the house if they make you anxious or triggered. It's not that you can't eat some treats but it can be good to separate your personal space from what makes your recovery difficult as much as possible.

     7.       Eat Mindfully - but Not Too Mindfully

Ask yourself “If I eat this, will it lead to Eating Disorder behaviours?” If the answer is yes, give yourself a break from eating. Know your limit and eat with mindful awareness.

8.       Forgive yourself

If you do relapse on Halloween remember that relapse is part of recovery. Tomorrow is a new day. You cannot gain weight from one day of eating. You may see yourself as bigger and you may feel fat but it is physically impossible for one day of eating to have made a noticeable difference in your appearance. Forgive yourself and try to move on. 

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.”
-Martin Luther King Jr.

RESOURCES:

National Eating Disorders Association Helpline at 1-800-931-2237.

Beat Eating Disorders - Adult Helpline: 0808 801 0677

Beat Eating Disorders – Youth Helpline: 0808 801 0711 

Eating Disorder Support - 01494 793223 / support@eatingdisorderssupport.co.uk

If you liked this post you may also like:
1. Wanting to Recover VS Not Wanting to Eat
2. The Competitive Nature of Eating Disorders
3. So You’re Fat