Recovery and The Holiday’s

Jen Rallo

Recovery is hard work, but for a lot of people recovery during the holidays is even more hard. Recovery is your own journey but it’s unfortunate when the people around you could possibly disturb that journey. For me, holidays are hard because I’m not very much of a family person. My family doesn’t really understand mental illness and they certainly don’t understand what it’s like living with an eating disorder. They don’t understand how sitting around a huge table surrounded by food is actually one of the most anxiety provoking things for me, but I have to pretend that everything is fine. They don’t understand that when I say “I’m okay” or “no I’m full”, I mean that, and I just want you to leave me alone. Maybe it’s a family thing but it feels like holidays are forever based around food.
Not even with just eating disorders but with any mental illness, holidays are hard. Imagine being an alcoholic surrounded by your family and friends drinking, your family of possible addicts talking about their drug habit or sharing stories of their recovery. This can be a good or bad thing depending on where you’re at. Ultimately, holidays can make or break you, leave you feeling loved or full or leaving you feeling more alone than ever.
This holiday season, be grateful that you are still here. Be grateful that you’ve made it this far and that you’re continuing no matter how hard it may be. Be grateful that you’re you, and whether or not it’s believable, that is enough