A bell alone can still ring.

Binge Eating for Christmas Companionship

People who binge eat often isolate themselves. Was that you this Christmas? Were you alone? Did you go into a cave and wait for Christmas to pass by? Did you hope for phone calls and invitations that didn’t come? Did you binge-eat and watch TV?

It was worse this year because of Covid. You couldn't go to a movie by yourself. You couldn’t go to an in-person OA meeting or a 12-step marathon to be with people, even if you didn’t know them.

Going to a seminar or workshop so you could be with people celebrating in a way that blended with the workshop theme was too risky this year. Some of you got sick and stayed in bed under the quilt with hot tea. Some of you wrote letters or wrote in your journal.

One woman made a fire, sat with her animals in the living room and read a book of Christmas stories and legends from around the world. It was nice and the best she could do.

A letter came in today that may speak to many people this holiday season. The writer, I'll call her Kendra, had an eating disorder slip last night.

Eating Disorder Slip

Kendra spent successful time in a residential eating disorder treatment center. She continued her recovery work on an outpatient basis at home with a private psychotherapist and a support group. This sounds good to me. Then she had an eating disorder slip.

Danger Signals

She stopped seeing her therapist and stopped going to the weekly support groups because they became triggering for her. These are red flags for me.

Cravings, urges, temptations each stimulate and lure you to the edge of action. Will you eat the ice cream or diet frozen yogurt? Will you do a drive by at your ex-boyfriend's house? Will you stay on the treadmill another hour? What is the power behind your decision?

A kind of circle develops between my patients, my garden and me where we share and appreciate the giving and receiving that is happening naturally for the benefit of all of us.

*pix View from my office window. Patient waiting area is to the right in the shaded area not visible.