Eating Disorder Recovery: Navigating Christmas Challenges and Finding Hope

“I’d describe Christmas as the perfect storm for someone suffering from an eating disorder – so many factors come together that make it really difficult – with food being the obvious one.” This statement comes from Paula Gibson, representing Freed Beyond, a social enterprise dedicated to supporting individuals with eating disorders. “With an eating disorder food is not the issue – but food then gets used as the substance to numb that inner distress that’s felt,” she explained. Paula Gibson noted that organizations assisting with eating disorders in Northern Ireland are observing an increasing number of individuals seeking help. Amber Harrison, aged 25, received an anorexia diagnosis at 12. She indicated that her illness intensified during her transition to secondary school, where she faced difficulties in assimilation. “It affected every aspect of my life – the biggest thing, initially, was I was taken out of school. It affected my joy as I didn’t know how to have fun anymore,” she said. Harrison accessed Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and has been in recovery for eight years. She emphasized that each individual’s journey is unique. “Talking is huge – to talk openly and vulnerably about what you are dealing with and what you are going through,” she explained. “There is a lot of strength in seeking help. I think sometimes accepting that you need people to help you is a really hard thing to do.” She further stated that Christmas can pose challenges for individuals with an eating disorder. “The one thing you struggle with the most – is the one thing Christmas is so focused on,” she said. Harrison described social gatherings as problematic. “Either you go to the events and you are singled out because people can see you are struggling – or you don’t go to social events and people are wondering why aren’t you there?” “The language used around Christmas can be quite hard for people with an eating disorder – and for me the biggest thing around Christmas time was lack of routine.” Christelle Lees, 32, first encountered disordered eating during her teenage years, attributing it to “lots of things going on around me.” “I was bullied at school. I came from France, I was taller than everyone else, I was bigger built than everyone else and I struggled to fit in,” she said. “When I went to university at 18 I had a lot of fad diets – a lot of disordered eating.” “I lost my grandfather, a relationship broke up – and life felt really out of control.” These events led her to begin controlling her food intake, resulting in an anorexia diagnosis. “I battled that for a couple of years,” she said. “Christmas back then when I had an eating disorder was extremely difficult. Nobody in the family knew I had an eating disorder – and Christmas is food.” Lees sought assistance from adult mental health services and has maintained recovery for six years, stating her recovery surpassed her expectations. “I didn’t think I would ever sit down and enjoy a meal,” Christelle said. “I didn’t think life would ever get better. All I ever wanted was to be a mummy and a wife.” “I hadn’t had my period in a few years and adult eating disorder services said I would be lucky if I had children. That scared me.” Currently, Christelle is married and has a three-month-old infant. “I would say to anyone suffering: ‘Hang in – nothing changes overnight – but change is possible.'” “Don’t be afraid to dream – as cheesy as it sounds – those dreams can come true.” The Department of Health acknowledged the widespread recognition of increased demand on Child and Mental Health Services, noting a substantial rise in young individuals presenting with more complex needs, especially concerning eating disorders. Data for the South Eastern Health Trust was not incorporated into the 2024 figures due to its unavailability. For those impacted by the subjects discussed in this article, assistance and support can be accessed via BBC Action Line. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.