Thanksgiving with an Eating Disorder

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By Christine Saah | Guest Blogger

When I first think of Thanksgiving the following words come to mind: Food, family, people we haven’t seen in awhile, and also more food with lots of pie. It sounds so exciting right? Most of you are probably crying on the inside thinking about the amount of food most Americans inhale on this Thanksgiving holiday. You are also nervous to see your family who you get to avoid when you are away at school. If you are not feeling the tension that’s so wonderful, but I know I feel an immense amount of anxiety as I have to go to the place I call home. I decided ahead of time to make the best of this time at home and to hopefully help some of you reading to not be so anxious.

My first thoughts on how to handle this is to have a plan to make contact with someone when you are tempted to act on an eating disorder behavior. You absolutely must always have a plan of action. What does this mean exactly? Maybe you already work with a counselor or have a good friend that you always get in contact with when you know things are about to get ugly, or have already reached beyond that. Keep these people in mind at all times. Think about where you are struggling. Do you struggle with not keeping food down? Do you struggle to allow yourself to eat? Do you spend an extended amount of time working out? Have these struggles seemed to maybe get worse the last week or so as you think about Thanksgiving food? I have certainly found myself working out a lot more. I want you to try and recognize your current struggles so that you can be aware enough to get in contact with the good friend or professional when you sense a slip up or already have. A lot of times our family doesn’t understand the way we need love at moments of struggle which is why you need the plan and contact person.

Another thing to deal is to have distractions. I am not saying do not allow yourself to feel your emotions. That’s why you need to stay in touch with your go-to person. I am saying that until you can get in touch with someone, you should have something to distract you from acting on the behavior. Some of the things that I need to do this break are to write a 10 page paper, work on a photography final project, and do a few other small projects. You shouldn’t do homework all of break, but it is definitely an incentive to focus your anxiety on doing something positive. Something you can do is to have a schedule of what you want to accomplish while you are home. I know I want to attend daily mass, pray a daily holy hour, exercise in moderation, and work on schoolwork. I want to make time for family, but know to be careful in how and when we bond. I just have to be careful, and you do too. Spend your time in ways that help you recover. Visit the friends that bring you joy. Go shopping on Black Friday if that’s what excites you. Allow yourself to live and do what you love.

One last thought is to be thankful, and offer up all of your sufferings to the Lord. The Eucharist, the real living presence of Christ among us in the offering of the mass and presented to us in adoration, literally means Thanksgiving. The Lord was crucified and rose from the dead for each and every one of us.  As John 10:29-31 says, Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. It makes sense to thank God especially on Thanksgiving, for dying on the cross, and for rising up from hell to conquer death. It also makes sense to thank Him for the suffering we endure, because it unites us to Christ. We don’t suffer in the same way as Him, but we do suffer in a way that is Christ-like. When you don’t want to leave your room when Mom calls you to supper, you can take a deep breath and pray to God for the strength to get through the meal. Pray for the wisdom to see the love your family has to offer, even if it is really difficult to see at times. Offer all your struggles up and all that you do and do it for him. Thank him for everything. Last of all, don’t ever give up, because each time you fall you can run back to the cross. Run to the Lord’s arms ready to embrace you. Run to him. You are worth it!

I encourage you all to pray each day this simple prayer to our God: I believe. Help my unbelief. I trust you. Help me to trust you more. I am weak. Help me to find my strength in you.

P.S. You are enough.

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