October is a lovely month, cool and crisp. Many people relish fall foliage and apple picking knowing that winter doldrums are not far behind.
For people who struggle with binge eating, bulimia and other eating disorders, Halloween candy, donuts and other sugary treats appear everywhere we turn, and handling all these sugary foods can be extremely challenging. Mothers of young children often talk about the difficulty of this holiday and worry about what trick or treat candy to buy that won’t trigger them to mindlessly overeat or binge.
For years I have heard from mothers who, after finally put their children to sleep who were often keyed up from the excitement of the day and all the sugar they ate, would find themselves binging on the candy their children collected. These “mom binges" sometimes go on for the better part of a week, while they dole out to their children just a few pieces a day. They look forward to the day they can throw out the tempting stash.
We need to strategize how to handle this holiday especially for emotional eaters:
1. Remember, in this very complex world in which we live, Halloween offers a sense of levity. This is a day for our inner child to have fun, whether we are 8 or 48. If we choose to wear a costume, perhaps we can let go and be playful. We have permission to act silly and withdraw from some of our adult responsibilities or challenges of the world in which we live.
2. Your strategy for enjoying the day depends on what kind of eating issues you have. Are you a fairly “normal eater” who sometimes overeats or binges, or a bulimic, an anorexic or a food addict? If you are a fairly normal eater, you may want to pick out some of your favorite treats and enjoy them without guilt, as a part of a fun day. If you are bulimic and know that Halloween candy presents a potential binge fest, you need to decide if the “first bite is too many and then it’s never enough” or if depriving yourself will only backfire and set you up a binge. If you are a food addict, you need to attend to your vulnerability and get all the support you need to stay the course of your recovery. If you are anorexic, the key is not to overly restrict out of fear. Choosing the route you think will bring you the most joy and serenity is the key. Whichever path you take, enjoy the festivities without falling prey to food being the only focus of the celebration!