Eating disorders don’t take a break at Christmas

Hope Virgo urges us to take time among the festivities of the season to be more mindful of those around us and the struggles they may have

Christmas is ‘supposed’ to be a time of happiness – a time for eating, drinking, remembering loved ones and creating memories. Well that’s what society, social media and TV shows want us to believe. But the reality is there are so many people who find this time of year really tough. This is certainly true for those affected by eating disorders, as it throws in another complicated layer. Christmas has become a massively commercialised event, one that has perhaps lost so much of its meaning. A time of year when people binge eat for a few days and then restrict themselves afterwards to shift whatever extra weight and feelings of guilt they have!