As temperatures drop, shorter days and holiday breaks are just around the corner. Most people highly anticipate the last few months of the year. But winter can be a demanding time of year for some, especially those struggling with mental health. Holding yourself accountable during your recovery at this time of year can be challenging, but that makes it all the more important. Accountability during the end of the year is not only valuable but vital to maintaining recovery in the long run.
By: Samreen Khan
What Makes this Time of the Year so Difficult?
As evening begins to fall earlier and earlier in the day, the hours of sunlight become increasingly limited. This lack of light is one of the main reasons why a significant percentage of the population suffers from seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD or seasonal depression. As with various other mental illnesses, individuals with eating disorders are more susceptible to seasonal depression than the general population, with a comorbidity rate of nearly 30% between the two¹. Circumstances such as these render motivation increasingly tricky to find during these months.
In addition, winter time is the host to various cultures’ holidays. The anticipation of holiday events is an immense breeder of anxiety. Although this time of year is meant to be joyous for individuals in recovery, it can mean meals chock-full of fear foods and unsolicited judgments from relatives at family gatherings. Suffice it to say the last few months of the year hold potential for many triggering situations.
Why is Accountability so Important During This Time?
In the early stages of recovery, skipping out on specific events may be viable to avoid triggers. However, with the proper support, challenging yourself to overcome these hurdles gradually will help heal your relationship with food while overcoming your fears. Although the existence of triggering circumstances is something you cannot control, you can control how you choose to react.
You may experience slip-ups during this time of year due to the increased pressure on your well-being. While it is important to note that recovery is not a linear journey, ignoring these slip-ups instead of acknowledging them will only create room for them to recur in the future. Learning to deal with triggers in a way that does not negatively impact your recovery is a crucial step in your journey. Expecting a situation to be triggering is different from accepting that you cannot do anything about it. Meet these difficult situations with understanding and grace as you learn to navigate life’s ups and downs in recovery.
Holding yourself accountable does not mean you should feel guilty for giving in to disordered thoughts. You can grant yourself forgiveness while also realizing the importance of striving to do better in the future. Shame does not feed prosperous improvement; what will, however, is compassion for yourself and the determination to exercise that compassion no matter the situation.
Some of the most challenging parts of recovery are the parts you need to face head-on, like heightened disordered urges during this time of year. If you do not hold yourself accountable, it simply suppresses those feelings and behaviors. Addressing the bumps in your recovery will allow you to fortify yourself against the triggers of wintertime, making the following year’s holiday season a little bit easier.
While the holidays are supposed to be a time of togetherness, tradition, and merriment, it can feel stressful and isolating for those with an eating disorder. Let BALANCE help you navigate the holidays and set the stage for lasting recovery. Our 12-day winter intensive program can help you jump-start your recovery. Our exclusive winter eating disorder treatment program fits conveniently within your winter break schedule, allowing you to invest in transformative care. Connect with our admissions team and learn more about our 12-day winter intensive program here.
Looking for eating disorder treatment programs or services in the New York City area? Learn more about our options at BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™ here or contact us here.
This post was written by BALANCE Blog Contributor, Samreen Khan (she/her/he/him).
Samreen is a high school graduate with an ardent drive to de-stigmatize mental illness and eating disorders. Born and raised in the Bay Area, she experienced the harmful effects of “fitspo” culture firsthand for most of her childhood. Throughout her own recovery journey, she became passionate about deconstructing diet culture and raising awareness about eating disorders in her everyday life. Samreen began extending her own ideology of intuitive eating and body neutrality to others by publishing her own writing online when she was fourteen, and has since received several awards for her prose and poetry. She has conducted research on the biological and evolutionary implications of familial mental illness, and is currently taking college-level Sociology and Psychology courses with hopes to delve further into the social and cultural constructs that bolster disordered eating, especially within marginalized communities. She’s grateful for the opportunity to combine two of her strongest passions — writing and mental health — by working with BALANCE!
Reference
Ghadirian AM, Marini N, Jabalpurwala S, Steiger H. Seasonal mood patterns in eating disorders. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 1999 Sep-Oct;21(5):354-9. doi: 10.1016/s0163-8343(99)00028-6. PMID: 10572777.
