Managing Summer Triggers During Eating Disorder Recovery
As the days grow warmer and the sun stays out longer, the summer season brings beach trips, backyard gatherings, and a shift toward lighter clothes and carefree routines. While this time of year is often associated with fun and freedom, it can also intensify body image pressures and eating disorder summer triggers for those in eating disorder recovery.
Several factors can act as summer triggers for individuals in eating disorder recovery.
One significant factor beding summer triggers is changes to your usual routine and the desire for more structure. For students, the end of classes and separation from friends who live in different areas can disrupt their daily schedules. Similarly, working individuals may find their routines disrupted by summer vacations and holidays, causing changes to their eating patterns and making it more challenging to connect with their support systems when needed.
There is also the element of hyper-focusing on body image, which feels especially challenging during the summer months. Social media plays a significant role in how individuals view themselves compared to their peers. With an influx of images focused on other people’s bodies on your feed, you may find yourself leaning towards eating disorder behaviors and urges as well as experiencing body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem.
Finally, summer triggers can include there is pressure to attend social gatherings planned through family and friends. While these gatherings are celebratory, you may feel overwhelmed by entering a once-familiar space and engaging in food-related activities.
With these thoughts in mind, here are seven ways to manage summer triggers during eating disorder recovery:
Establish a Routine
Do your best to maintain regular meal and snack times to provide structure and stability.
You can also plan your days to include balanced meals and self-care activities. On days where you’re traveling or out with friends, pack snacks to help you nourish your body when hunger strikes.
Set Boundaries
Remember that it’s okay to say no! Decline invitations or activities that feel overwhelming or triggering—especially if they relate to summer triggers like body image pressure or food-focused events. Be mindful of your limits and communicate them to friends and family. You can also have conversations with loved ones about how you’re feeling during recovery.
Practice Self-Compassion
Be kind to yourself, and avoid negative self-talk. Instead, acknowledge your efforts and progress, and celebrate those small victories! You can even carry a journal to document your achievements during your recovery journey.
Create a Safe Environment
Surround yourself with supportive people who understand and respect your recovery. Remove or minimize exposure to triggering environments or conversations. If you have to attend a challenging event, ask a trusted friend or family member to be your support person.
Limit Social Media
Reduce your time spent on social media, especially platforms that promote unrealistic body standards. If you do spend time on the apps, follow accounts that promote body neutrality and self-acceptance (like @balancedtx!).
Use Coping Strategies
Develop a toolkit of coping mechanisms, like deep breathing, journaling, or meditation. When negative thoughts arise, identify them and then challenge them with positive self-talk.
Seek Professional Help
Continue working with your therapist or dietitian to navigate challenges and summer triggers that arise during this time of year – and don’t hesitate to seek additional support if needed!
Get Eating Disorder Recovery Support This Summer
At BALANCE, our 14-Day Summer Intensive Program is here to help you or a loved one manage eating disorder triggers and symptoms. This short-term program at our New York City treatment center offers real-time support to work through summer triggers, summer body image challenges, fear foods, and disordered thoughts in a safe and supportive environment. BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, located in New York City, offers free consultation calls to help you explore next steps. We provide in-person programming seven days a week and are in-network with UnitedHealthcare (UHC), Cigna, Emblem, and Oscar, with Aetna coverage coming soon. Support is available, and recovery is possible. Click here to connect with our team, verify your insurance, and learn how our 14-Day Summer Intensive Program can help you reduce eating disorder thoughts and behaviors and reconnect with your body this summer.
Reference
Alsana. (2023, July 17). Summer eating Disorder triggers | Resist Diet culture | Alsana®. Alsana®. Retrieved April 28, 2024, from https://www.alsana.com/blog/coping-with-summer-eating-disorder-triggers/
This post was written by BALANCE Blog Contributor, Regina Colie (she/her).
Regina Colie is a blog contributor for BALANCE, whose previous work has been featured in Project HEAL and Nourishing NY. She is an alumnus of The New School of Social Research, where she received her Masters in Psychology. After attending Marymount Manhattan College, she had the opportunity to be published in Dr. Nava Silton’s book, The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Child, Adolescent, and Adult Development.
