The festive season can be filled with joy but can also bring about a range of challenges and triggers, some of which are unexpected.
Although it’s not possible or helpful to plan everything entirely, it is important to have some ideas or structure in place to help navigate meal times and events so that when it comes to the moment, you’re not scrambling to come up with a solution!
Part of this planning involves:
Support team:
- You’re likely not to be able to access your usual treating team so developing a ‘holiday plan’ with them before the break will allow this to occur. This can involve existing strategies and managing expectations/goals during the break so that you’re not putting any extra pressure/stress on yourself.
- It can also be useful to have a session booked in ahead with your therapist soon after the break, so minimal time has passed for you to debrief/review/check in.
- Having a support person/people that you trust, feel comfortable with and let know how you feel can be vital when your formal treatment team is on a break. You can let them know how they can assist you over the holiday period/leading to bigger events. This could be as simple as them sitting next to you during a meal, providing meal support, speaking up for you in front of others, understanding what your goals are, being available to chat/debrief, and/or doing something fun!
Managing expectations
- Generally speaking, Christmas and the festive period is not the time to be pushing yourself to hard with therapeutic goals given the stressors than can often be associated with this period.
- Be clear on what your ‘non-negotiables’ are in terms of nutritional goals (could be your list of safe foods) but also be open to small advances on goals. In other words, no big changes!
- Planning with others ahead of events can help manage the situation with a little more predictability. This does require open communication which does usually require a person you trust.
- Knowing that you can maintain some stability in nutrition over the festive period will have a flow on effect onto other areas of your life too which can help. i.e Christmas isn’t just about food, it’s often time to connect and fun with others, do things for yourself, as well as have some down time.
Dealing with thoughts/emotions
- Festive meals and environment can trigger a range of challenging thoughts and emotions.
- Because of stressors (heightened emotions, change in structure, social eating) it will be useful to be even more aware your hunger cues, feeling of stress, triggers and boundaries
- Being able to practice kindness, reassurance and understanding to self will be an antidote to the unhelpful/critical thoughts that pop up. An example of this is reminding yourself the holiday period is naturally a challenging time, and you are doing your best.
- Having a tool kit of emotional regulation strategies will also be helpful. E.g. intentional breathing/mindfulness/awareness/grounding, sensory items, music, getting outside. If you have existing therapeutic tools e.g. like specific DBT skills these will also be useful to adopt when needed.
- Maintaining some routines in the holiday period can also be useful due to the flexible nature of this time which can sometimes remove our sense of feeling grounded. E.g. movement/walking time, down time (watch a show, listen to music), time outside/time inside.
