For many people recovering from eating disorders, the festive season is more challenging and anxiety-provoking than fun.

Recovering from an eating disorder is challenging enough. Facing festive foods and socialing with others add extra challenges.

That doesn’t mean you should hide away from others.

Many of our clients find it’s also a good time to practice their other coping skills - these skills don’t develop automatically so they need to be practiced if you want to have a more sustainable and healthful way to cope with stress instead of eating disorder behaviours.

Our clients also find that this time of the year is when they realise how much annoyance and inconvenience the eating disorder brings, which helps them to motivate themselves to recover.

So here are some resources that can help you navigate this festive season.

Your Holiday Reading List to Support Your Eating Disorders Recovery

For Adults recovering from eating disorders

• The Body is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor

• Untrapped podcast by Louise Adams

• Unpacking Weight Science podcast by Dr Fiona Willer

• Butterfly Foundation has a recent blog post titled "Tips for the holiday season from Butterfly experts and lived experience voices"

• Eating Disorders Victoria has a list of resources to help navigate the festive season, including a free, 4-parts webinar "Coping through the Holiday Season with an Eating Disorder".

For Teens recovering from eating disorders

• Celebrate Your body by Sonya Renee Taylor

• Kids Helpline (call 1800 551 800)

• Instagram accounts: @thebutterflyfoundation and @theplatebyplateapproach.

• No Weigh!! by Shelley Aggarwal, Signe Darpinian, and Wendy Sterling

• Body Kindness by Rebecca Scritchfield

For family and friends who are caring their loved ones recovering from eating disorders

• F.E.A.S.T is full of supportive resources for parents.

• Eating Diosrders Queensland has a Carers Help Kit, which is full of readings and videos.

• Eva Musby has a series of Youtube videos for parents of teens struggling with eating disorders.

Helplines and Support Services:

• Emergency – 000

• Lifeline 13 11 14

• Kids Helpline 1800 551 80

• Butterfly Foundation 1800 33 4673

• Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

• Headspace 1800 650 890

• QLife 1800 184 527

Recovery is hard. It’s challenging.

But it’s worth it.

Every meal, every snack, and every bite will take you closer to a life free of eating disorders. And you deserve that.