The National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI) sent an email titled, “Holidays & Eating Disorders,” which employs pathologizing language, focusing heavily on symptoms of “eating disorders” without addressing the relational, neurobiological, and environmental contexts that influence these experiences. While NAMI acknowledges the stress of the holiday season and offers tips for managing it, the piece frames eating challenges as “disorders” and uses language that can feel shaming and disconnected from the biological and relational context of these behaviors. It also separates mental health from the body’s physiological needs, neglecting to discuss how stress, trauma, and disrupted safety responses influence eating patterns. By focusing primarily on symptoms, NAMI overlooks the underlying neurobiological processes and relational dynamics that contribute to these behaviors. Additionally, while it advocates self-care, it does so without fully addressing how the nervous system’s need for safety drives these adaptations.

Here is an IPNB-Informed Rewrite: “Supporting Eating Experiences During the Holidays”

The holiday season can bring joy, connection, and celebration, but it can also feel overwhelming—especially when gatherings revolve around food. If eating feels like a source of stress, know that this experience is deeply connected to your body’s natural adaptations to stress, safety, and connection. These adaptations are not “problems” or “disorders” but signals of what your body has needed to navigate its environment.

Behaviors often labeled as “disordered eating” reflect how your nervous system responds to past or present challenges. These patterns may include restricting food, eating in a way that feels out of control, or avoiding certain types of nourishment. They emerge as ways to protect and regulate yourself, especially when your body feels threatened or uncertain. Understanding this can foster greater compassion for yourself during a season that can bring unique stressors.

Here are ways to support yourself during the holidays:

Honor your body’s signals. Your responses to food and gatherings are not failures but expressions of your nervous system’s effort to protect and sustain you. Meeting these signals with kindness can help ease the pressure.

Stay connected to supportive relationships. Trusted friends, family, or professionals can offer grounding and understanding, especially in moments that feel overwhelming.

Build rhythms of safety. Predictable routines, like eating, moving, and resting at regular intervals, help calm the nervous system and create a sense of stability.

Engage in food choices with agency. Bringing a dish you enjoy or feel comfortable with can help you participate in gatherings while honoring your needs.

Plan for moments of stress. Triggers may arise during the holidays, and that’s okay. Having tools like grounding exercises, mindfulness practices, or stepping outside for fresh air can help you navigate these moments.

Visualize meaningful moments. Reflect on how you’d like your day to feel, focusing on small, achievable ways to prioritize connection and comfort.

Practice curiosity over judgment. If feelings of shame or discomfort arise, remember that these are signals, not failures. Explore them with curiosity and compassion, asking what your body may need to feel safer.

Anticipatory stress, or the anxiety leading up to gatherings, is a natural part of your body preparing for what it perceives as a challenge. You can meet this response with care by creating moments of rest and regulation. This might include consistent sleep, engaging in activities that bring you joy, or practicing gentle mindfulness techniques like deep breathing or yoga.

Above all, remember that your responses to food and the holiday environment are deeply personal and rooted in your body’s wisdom. Approaching these patterns with understanding, rather than judgment, can create space for greater connection to yourself and others. Your relationship with eating and your body is deeply personal and shaped by your experiences. Meeting these needs with kindness and understanding is a powerful way to navigate the season with care.

This post includes content generated by ChatGPT, a language model developed by OpenAI. The AI-generated content has been reviewed and edited for accuracy and relevance.