For many people, the festive season is a time to come together with friends and family over a table full of food.
Many see it as the time to decompress and veg out after a big year.
Especially in the lead-up to Christmas, there are often plenty of discussions about what to eat.
All of that would usually be followed by the typical post-meal chats and New Year's resolutions about getting that "summer body" ready and promising to focus on fitness after the season's done.
But for those living with eating disorders, the festive season can be a particularly challenging and overwhelming time.
"A person with an eating disorder has a lot of noise in their head," Leah Ward, the parent of a young adult* recovering from an eating disorder," told ABC News Breakfast.
"[These] gatherings are noisy, busy, and very much focused around food and connection, which is obviously a wonderful thing."
"But the noise and the busyness and the food elements — and everyone's discussions around needing to go on a diet or go and exercise to run off what they've had for lunch — those sorts of comments are really difficult."
Navigating the festive season
It might be tricky to know how to include loved ones with eating disorders during a time filled with food-based celebrations, especially if it is not front of mind.
But Jane Rowan, executive director of Eating Disorders Families Australia (EDFA), told ABC News Breakfast it mostly just came down to common sense and courtesy.
"You might be going into a gathering this holiday season where someone is actually living with an eating disorder," she said.
"Listening to people discussing their diet plans after Christmas, people commenting on their appearance, people talking about how they might need to get fit in the New Year — they are all triggers."
According to EDFA, approximately 1 million Australians are living with an eating disorder any given year. That is roughly 4 per cent of the population.
And, approximately 9 per cent of Australians will experience an eating disorder at some point in their lifetime.
In addition, anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any mental health condition, with 20 per cent of patients dying from consequences of the disease.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the impacts of eating disorders on patients, making it more difficult to access treatment and support.
Even though we have largely moved away from COVID-19 restrictions, challenges for those living with eating disorders remain.
So, tempering conversations about food and appearance — and refraining from commenting on food portions and choices, too — is a good start to help everyone at the table feel completely included and comfortable.
"[Those triggering conversations] put pressure on the families as well, because they are watching the conversations taking place and trying to shield their loved one with the eating disorder from them," Ms Rowan said.
The EDFA's tips for supporting people with eating disorders over the festive season:
- Don't talk about needing to "diet" after eating "too much" at Christmas
- Never comment on anyone's appearance
- Be conscious that they might need to step back and have some quiet time
- Disruptions to strict routines over the holiday period can be detrimental
- Find out what they are interested in and talk to them about it — find a way to connect instead of talking about food and appearance
- To support family and carers, make them feel seen and supported by offering practical help like mowing their lawn/helping to look after pets
Living with an eating disorder
Ms Ward said her child, who the ABC has chosen not to identify, is currently in "very active recovery" after living with an eating disorder for the past few years.
"We're in a much better place than we were many years ago," she said.
"[But] any sort of festive environment or social gathering is difficult, because there is so much talk around body image at this time of year after not seeing people."
EDFA guidelines show recovery rates for those with eating disorders improve significantly when families and carers receive education and support, so even just being mindful at the table in the first instance is a good start.
"To get through that in festive times, you really do need the support of everybody around you. And you really need to help censor some of the conversations."
Seeking support
For people experiencing eating disorders, and their loved ones, there are plenty of avenues for support available.
"We definitely need to increase awareness, and we need to make sure that people can get help as soon as they can," the EDFA's Jane Rowan said.
Spreading awareness about the trigger points and just trying to be a bit more mindful about what you say — not only over the festive season, but in general — can go a long way to helping those with eating disorders feel more supported.
And when it comes to recovery, the earlier you are able to seek support, the better.
"The longer we leave it, the harder it becomes … early intervention is crucial," Ms Rowan said.
If this story has raised any issues for you, you can contact the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673 or butterfly.org.au
