Caroline Wilbourne
Editor’s note: This article contains references to anxiety and eating disorders.
Every Thanksgiving involves eating food and spending time with loved ones, but for some — including me — it also comes with anxiety when building the food on your plate.
Usually, when an individual has food anxiety, or anxiety about the consequences of food on their body, it goes unnoticed. It can be hard for loved ones to know when someone is super self-conscious when it comes to food. It’s important to keep in mind that anyone could be struggling with food this holiday season.
This type of anxiety usually signals that the individual has an uncomfortable relationship with food. Signs of this include thinking about food obsessively, binge-eating until overly full, eating when not hungry or in response to certain emotions like sadness, feeling guilty after eating and feeling like certain foods are off limits.
There are definitely more factors that can play into having an unhealthy association with food, and unfortunately, it can turn into something more serious like an eating disorder, of which there are multiple types. According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, a couple include anorexia nervosa and binge-eating disorder.
This anxiety can even turn into a fear of eating in front of others, called deipnophobia. Many types of fears and disorders are associated with food, and for people who struggle with this, Thanksgiving can seem like the worst time of the year.
If you struggle with any type of food anxiety or disorder, there are a few ways to try to combat it. like going to a professional for help, exposure therapy, challenging your thoughts on your eating patterns, finding a support group and many more.
Even if you don’t have a history of disordered or anxious eating, it’s important to reach out to a loved one to talk and not struggle in silence if you feel like you have trouble with food.
Talking about difficult relationships with food is not easy. Still, if you have someone in your life whom you do feel comfortable opening up to about this topic, please do so. However, if you don’t have trouble with food but fear someone you know does, it’s important to know how to go about it.
The National Eating Disorder Association recommends certain tools for this conversation. First, reduce any stigma your loved one may feel you have associated with this type of issue. Use “I” statements so the person understands these are behaviors you have seen and are genuinely concerned about. Lastly, do not resort to simple solutions like “just eat more,” because this makes the individual feel way worse and may make them iffy about seeking professional help.
It’s always hard to tell who is suffering from a tough relationship with food. During this Thanksgiving holiday, be mindful of the people you’re eating with and the comments loved ones make about others’ food choices.