Happy Holidays!!

The holidays can be a stressful time especially if you are struggling with maintaining recovery or mental wellness. I wanted to share with you all some helpful tips this holiday season.

Eating disorder recovery is hard and sometimes the holidays make it harder. Let’s explore some ways to keep that ED under control during tough times.

1. Create a safety plan

a. Use your support system to assist with getting out of tough spots (i.e., an out of state family member coming in town and asking triggering questions; have your support system create safety by changing the topic or “steal you away”)

b. Recognize what could happen and plan for it (Use flexible control; there are going to be things that we cannot control like the weather or a family member needing to stay longer because their flight got delayed, focus your time and energy on the things that YOU can control like how you respond or cope with things)

c. Create safe places for yourself (physical safe spaces i.e., your room, the bathroom, etc. and mental safe spaces i.e., calm safe space, safe space visualization, etc.) (see below for more on mental safe spaces)

2. Stay on your meal plan

a. Keep up with your routine

b. Honor your hunger cues

c. Challenge the food police

d. Reject diet mentality

e. Remember practical hunger

3. Use your resources

a. Keep up with sessions with dietitians, therapists, psychiatrists, etc.

b. Crisis hotlines are still open during the holidays

c. Your support system is a call away

4. Medication

a. Continue to take medications as prescribed

b. Fill prescriptions before pharmacy closures occur to ensure you have enough to make it through the holidays

5. Travel

a. Make a plan

b. Be flexible (remember there are things that you cannot control)

c. Bring coping strategies and necessities with you (be mindful of airport restrictions)

Maintaining mental wellness is not easy with the holiday madness that happens. Here are some of my favorite tips that help me.

1. Create a safety plan

a. Use your support system to assist with getting out of tough spots (i.e., an out of state family member coming in town and asking triggering questions; have your support system create safety by changing the topic or “steal you away”)

b. Recognize what could happen and plan for it (Use flexible control; there are going to be things that we cannot control like the weather or a family member needing to stay longer because their flight got delayed, focus your time and energy on the things that YOU can control like how you respond or cope with things)

c. Create safe places for yourself (physical safe spaces i.e., your room, the bathroom, etc. and mental safe spaces i.e., calm safe space, safe space visualization, etc.) (see below for more on mental safe spaces)

2. Know you limits

a. Physical (what physical symptoms enter when you are reaching your limits, pay attention to them and make a calm down plan)

b. Mentally (what symptoms enter when you are reaching your limits, pay attention to them and use your skills to reduce symptoms)

c. Emotionally (what emotions/feelings enter when you are reaching your limits, pay attention to them and use mindfulness to understand what they are trying to tell you)

3. Use your resources

a. Keep up with sessions with therapists, psychiatrists, etc.

b. Crisis hotlines are still open during the holidays

c. Your support system is a call away

4. Medication

a. Continue to take medications as prescribed

b. Fill prescriptions before pharmacy closures occur to ensure you have enough to make it through the holidays

5. Travel

a. Make a plan

b. Be flexible (remember there are things that you cannot control)

c. Bring coping strategies and necessities with you (be mindful of airport restrictions)

Calm Safe Space Visualization

Begin to breathe in safety and peace. Breathe out the fear. And breathe in safety and peace. And breathe out the fear. Each time you breathe in, relax your body. And each time you exhale, let go of the tension. Breathe in relaxation. Breathe out tension. With each breath, count from five to one.... If you need more than that, begin at seven or ten, counting to one.... Make each breath a number. Each exhale letting go. As you are counting, as you are breathing, allow the image of safety to fill your mind.... You are there, in safety, in peace. No one can be there with you without your permission. Focus only on breathing, on counting, on imagining your safe place once again. Allow your vision to come alive as you breathe. Remember and focus on all the images in your safe place.... Breathe in peace and safety. Breathe out fear. Allow your senses to come alive again in this place. Remember how it looks. Remember all the details -- the color of the sky, the grass or trees or sand or water.... Remember your place of safety and how very beautiful it is.... As you continue breathing in safety and breathing out fear, remember the sounds of your safe place -- Remember all the details – are waves crashing, are birds chirping.... Remember how beautiful it smells – can you smell sea air, beautiful flower blooming -- Remember the sights -- glance around at your house or structure of safe shelter, and see your waterfall or pool of healing water.... And over there, see your garden or forest.... And remember, remember the beauty and the peace and the safety.... Sit as long as you need to, breathing in safety and peace.

Breathing out fear, as long as you need to.... Do whatever else you need to do in your place of safety. Spend as long as you like.... And when you are ready, simply count yourself out by counting from one to five. And as you leave the place of safety, bring with you the knowing that you are safe, you are at peace, and everything is going to be okay.

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE

(800-273-TALK)

988LIFELINE.ORG

988

Crisis Intervention Hotline of Houston

832-416-1177

TEEN: 832-416-1199 (CALL)

TEEN: 281-201-4430 (TEXT)

LGBTQIA+ Switchboard Houston

24 Hour Helpline: 713-529-3211

National Eating Disorder Association

(800) 931-2237 (call or text)