March Madness: Avoiding Spring Panic
March is often a difficult month for people, especially those with binge eating problems, overeating, bulimia, or orthorexia. Although many are delighted with the warmer days, others are extremely anxious about shedding their thick winter clothes. The thought of having their bodies more exposed, with soon-to-come shorts and sleeveless shirts (larger arms are often a preoccupation of many women), and with bathing suits on the horizon, fills people with dread.
Although many of us are happy with the longer days, single and isolated people and those with eating disorders, are often upset and anxious about the time change. They imagine all the happy couples out having fun, which magnifies their loneliness and feelings of exclusion. People with eating disorders and body image preoccupations are often triggered by the change in light. Light and darkness often affect mood, and individuals with mood disorders may find the change especially difficult.
With Easter and Passover coming up, those with body image issues worry about seeing their families. Weeks in advance, they begin to worry about what they’ll wear to family dinners, and if they’ll look thin enough to avoid subtle or overt criticism.
Most people weigh seven pounds more in the winter than in the summer, so it’s natural for our lighter clothes to be a bit snug when we initially try them on. If we don’t panic, we will feel inspired to walk more as spring arrives, as well as engaging in other outdoor activities such as running, tennis, pickleball and golf. Another delight of the season is that summer brings many delightful, lower-calorie foods such as honeydew, cantaloupe, peaches, nectarines, blueberries, and fresh corn.
Therapy can help people celebrate the joys that come along with this season and tackle whatever roadblocks are in your way. March 8th is International Women’s Day and the month of March is women’s history month. These are important holidays to celebrate. The body positivity movement and Health at Any Size has encouraged self-acceptance. Self-acceptance doesn’t mean that you live in a body that you’re uncomfortable in for the rest of your life, but it can reduce the self-contempt and torture that many people put themselves through.
If we can learn to embrace the season and realize that there is no ‘perfect’ body, there is much to enjoy and be grateful for, including having the opportunity to enjoy another spring!