Dealing With Potential Fear Foods at Weddings and Parties

Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC, Director of Content and Social Media at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope

Whether in recovery from anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder, learning how to overcome fear foods is a necessary part of the journey. While fear foods can be different for everyone, depending on the individual, these are foods that can be triggering for various reasons.

For example, an individual recovering from anorexia may be fearful of eating foods from certain food groups that were previously restricted, such as foods high in fat, desserts, carbohydrates, fast foods, etc. A person recovering from bulimia may be triggered by foods that were previously binge on and then purged. Learning how to renegotiate these fear foods is essential to recovery.

Encountering Situations That Include Fear Foods

Throughout the recovery journey, a person may find themselves in different situations that may include potential fear foods. Without planning ahead, these types of scenarios may prove to be challenging, even triggering.

Understanding the potential challenges you might face as well as preparing with adequate coping mechanisms can help you successfully overcome situations that may be triggering throughout your recovery.

Events and special occasions, like weddings, reunions, and parties, are all types of situations that might include foods that you perhaps have not yet been able to renegotiate or neutralize in your recovery journey. Work with your treatment professionals to discuss these scenarios if possible, preparing ahead of time to successfully face some of the triggers you might encounter.

Understanding Fear Foods

Fear of a certain food is typically representative of a deeper fear or anxiety completely unrelated to the food itself. For example, a person who might fear eating desserts may in actuality be afraid of losing control, being unlovable, and so forth. Working through these core issues continues to be the most effective way for overcoming fear of food. Gradual exposure to fear foods can also be a way towards neutralizing the food and learning how to eat it normally once again.

Whatever situation you might find yourself in, know that progress is possible, and you can successfully encounter your fear foods. Working with professionals, such as a registered dietitian and therapist, can help you make ongoing progress in your own journey.

Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!

What are ways that you have successfully challenged your fear foods?

About the Author: Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating. Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing, Crystal serves as the Special Projects Coordinator for Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope, where her passion to help others find recovery and healing is integrated into each part of her work.

As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work with EDH/AH and nutrition private practice.

The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.

Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on July 11, 2016
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com