Going home for winter break for some students can be really exciting and relaxing, but for others, it brings up a whole array of struggles. Here are five ways to get through your winter break when struggling with an eating disorder.

1. Make A Plan That You Can Follow

With all the free time readily available to you, make sure to plan out your time with just enough to do and just enough quiet time. For some, staying busy has structure and allows for eating-disordered thoughts to stay at bay. For others, however, winter break can be a great time to actually plan for some down time. Balancing your time between taking care of yourself and enjoying time with others is really important, especially when struggling with an eating disorder.

2. Practice Lots Of Self-Care

Now that you have set time away for yourself, make sure to do loads of self-care. Recuperating after a busy semester or work-load is so important. I make a list of things to do in my journal and check them off as I go! Some examples include bubble baths, journaling, yoga, meditation, art therapy, reading books, face masks, dancing by yourself, singing loudly to favorite songs, hair masks, etc. There are plenty of ideas online and the possibilities are endless. As long as you are putting your care first, almost anything can be an act of self-care.

3. Ask For Help (Yes! You can do it!!)

Especially if you are away at college or are seeing your family for the first time in awhile, it's important to reach out for support. It's most often when we are disconnected from loved ones that eating disorders and other mental illnesses can flare up. Despite the sneaking lies that eating disorders tell us like, "nobody knows or cares," people do notice when their loved ones aren't happy. It can often be hard for loved ones to know what to say, so it's important for you to take that first step and ask for help. Especially with the new year approaching, insurances are often renewed and it allows for easier access to treatment. What's a better way to start off the new year then getting the help you desperately need?

4. Voice What You Need

It can be hard at times to be loud and make apparent what you need when lots of things are going on, but it's imperative that you voice your thoughts and feelings. The worst thing I did when I was struggling was when I'd shut down and expect others to read my mind. If you don't like when your aunt is talking about her diet, tell her that it upsets you. If you need your mom to trust you to eat your meal plan, ask for her to back off a bit. If you need extra support after meal times ask for your friends to hang around afterward to keep you accountable. It can be really scary to use your voice because you used your eating disorder to communicate for so long. Though, once you do use your voice it's the most freeing feeling in the world.

5. Be Patient With Yourself

A change of scenery or habit or just any changes in general, can be really hard and scary for some. You have to remember that recovering from an eating disorder takes time and that you aren't going to magically get better once you normalize your eating patterns. Recovery takes a lot of time and hard work. Going home for winter break and expecting yourself to be completely healthy is an expectation that isn't only unachievable but can be very self-sabotaging. Be patient with your health and your abilities and know that the time WILL come when you'll be able to just enjoy your time off without much thought at all. You are going to get to a place when your eating disorder is simply a long lost memory that once was.

I know things may be difficult right now, and I know it may feel like you will never be able to actually enjoy your break, but trust me when I tell you that it IS possible. Years ago, I never thought I'd be able to stop my eating disorder behaviors, years ago I was silent, years ago I had distanced myself from everyone. Yet, here I am today happy and healthy, reaching out for help, and helping others too. It really does get better, just keep holding on.