COVID-19 and Eating Disorders
As I write this piece, we are over a month into our COVID-19 self-quarantine. Despite the time that has passed there is still a lot of uncertainty in the world and many people have felt a loss of control in their lives. The impact that COVID-19 has had on individuals' mental health is evident by the quickly-evolving support systems adapting their practices to online therapy.
People with disordered eating and those in eating disorder treatment, most commonly referred to as eating disorders, are at an even greater risk of relapsing or increasing their disordered habits. For those affected by this you might be feeling anxious, depressed or trapped within your own body. There is a correlation between control and disordered eating habits. Therefore, while we live in a time that may feel out of control, those with disordered may feel the desire to restrict, binge, purge, or over exercise. More specifically some of the things that you might be experiencing are:
Social exposure - for those that live with other people you might feel shame or the desire to eat in secrecy and as you live in quarantine, this desire may be unobtainable. Without the ability to be alone while eating you might feel anxious and trapped
Social isolation - on the opposite end of the spectrum, you might live alone. Isolation is very closely connected to disordered eating habits. By living in quarantine your disordered eating habits might be exasperated by feelings of disconnection and the lack of exposure to social eating and body exposure (two components that are essential to regain power over your disordered eating habits)
Exposure of food at home - many people are stocking up on food during this time. Many people with disordered eating habits keep their kitchen stocked only to a point that they feel is comfortable. With more food in the house, you might feel uncomfortable. You might also feel the desire to binge or restrict, depending on how your disordered eating habits are externalized
Limited exercise - many individuals express their disordered eating habits through exercise. Therefore you might feel confined to your home and unable to express this desire to feel in control of your body and your thoughts. If you feel as though your exercise is limited you may be experiencing an increase in restrictive or binge behaviors. You may also be feeling fear of weight gain and an increase in anxiety or depressive symptoms
If you are in recovery for disordered eating or if you are thinking about going into recovery for disordered eating there are several important things to remember during this time.
It is understandable if you are struggling right now - this is a confusing time for everyone, especially if you have fears around food, body image, isolation, uncertainty, and lack of control
Your body instinctively knows how to respond to emergencies like this - if you gain weight, that is your body responding that it has been built to respond
Recovery is full of peaks and valleys - when we are in recovery the peaks are the experiences that open our eyes to where our next piece of self work is
Your recovery is your priority - if you have a therapist, continue the work that you are doing. If you do not have a therapist yet, there is no better time than now to seek out support. Eating disorder treatment is the best next step here
Disordered eating habits, thoughts and behaviors can be challenging to navigate on your own. The good news is - you do not have to do it alone. Is part of you telling you one thing and another part of you is saying something else? Perhaps it sounds something like this, “A part of me wants to be thin and in control of my body and another part of me is so sick of being consumed by thoughts of food and my body.” If this relates to you, I ask you to take a moment and imagine a life where your thoughts are not dominated by food. This image is possible and there is joy and peace on the other side.
If you are interested in seeking support I would love to work with you towards reaching your goals. During this time of self-quarantine and COVID-19 there are many online therapy options out there. If you are interested in learning more about how I work with eating disorder treatment or how I work with online therapy I encourage you to click and read further.
If you are interested in setting up a free 20 minute consultation please reach out!
-Ellie