Trans & Struggling with Food and Eating in Quarantine?

Uncategorized

Sep 11

If you’re a trans person navigating food and eating distress during quarantine (whether you have been formally diagnosed with an eating disorder or not), you are not alone—and you deserve coping mechanisms and support networks that work for you.

Let’s talk about some of the underlying causes of what you may be experiencing, and what it can look like to manage these intrusive thoughts and behaviors in the age of COVID-19.

Some Background

Though research is limited, we know that eating disorders are both prevalent and underdiagnosed in marginalized communities, including communities of color and LGBTQ communities. In part, this underdiagnosis is a dangerous symptom of dominant narratives around eating disorders. Meaning: most of us are conditioned to believe that eating disorders happen only to white, cisgender, straight, thin women. This concept, in turn, contributes to an ongoing lack of support for marginalized communities who already face barriers to accessing mental health support.

And yet, even with the reality of underdiagnosis, the recognized prevalence of eating disorders is dangerously high among trans folks. A 2018 national survey conducted by The Trevor Project and the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) revealed that 71% of straight, trans respondents had been diagnosed with an eating disorder. Those of a gender other than trans male, trans female, or gender nonconforming (GNC) reported a 60% rate of diagnosis. Given that eating disorders are among the most fatal of mental health struggles, these rates are devastating and dangerous.

We all live in a society of pervasive beauty standards and fatphobia, but there are several major factors that contribute to the disproportionate impact of eating disorders on trans folks. These include:

minority stress and gender trauma
gender dysphoria and lack of access to safe, gender-affirming medical care
hyper-scrutiny of trans bodies
safety concerns related to “passing,” and attempts to regain a sense of power and control amidst systemic cissexism and transphobia.

Keep in mind that for those of us living at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities—for example, transgender people of color—these factors are compounded with others, such as racial trauma.

COVID-19 & Disordered Eating

For many of us, quarantine is a major threat to the eating disorder recovery process. Our routines are interrupted, our food may be scarce or unusually stocked, and we are living through the collective trauma that is COVID-19. Many of us are already feeling major anxiety and stress, and for those of us with distress around food and eating, these reactions can be major triggers for our intrusive thoughts and behaviors.

Many eating disorder treatment models encourage participation in communal meals—the act of eating with others and engaging in conversation and connection can help distract from the distress typically triggered by food or eating. But in quarantine, many of us are isolated and without the option to leave the house for a shared lunch with a friend. Others live in environments or with people who represent distress and conflict for us, which can further trigger responses of stress and anxiety.

We can’t ignore the role that this quarantine has played on our mental health—sitting at home all day, or moving directly between an essential workplace and home, leaves us room to ruminate over our thoughts, over and over again. We are face to face with our harshest internal messages. And for anyone navigating struggles with body image, constant use of Zoom and seeing your own face all day in a browser can be distracting and upsetting.

So...What Do I Do?

So what can we do, as trans folks, amidst all of this uncertainty? Here are a couple tips to test out if you’re looking to alleviate distress. Keep in mind that disordered eating manifests vastly differently from person to person, and what may help one person may be harmful to another. Pay attention to your emotional responses to whatever you try out, and if possible, work with a therapist to develop personalized strategies based on your unique needs.

Identify your triggers.

When you find yourself feeling anxious or distressed about food or eating, what are you feeling physically? What thoughts are running through your head? Do these arise right before a meal, after a snack, or when you wake up in the morning?

Consider planning your meals (but tread carefully with this one).

For some, planning meals and/or setting mealtimes can bring much needed comfort and structure to the day. But if you are already struggling with anxiously planning for future meals and snacks, this may not be the move for you.

Remind yourself that, even if you are hardly moving from a chair all day, your body still needs food to survive.

While being sedentary can be triggering for some of us whose internal messages tell us we must “earn” what we eat with physical activity, we have to remember that our bodies need water and nutrients (and foods that taste good!) even if we don’t go through a strenuous workout.

Be conscious of your exposure to media that glamorizes harmful beauty standards—and limit it!

What accounts are you following on Instagram? Where do you see pictures of or writing about bodies, and what do those bodies look like? What messages or judgments are being placed upon those bodies, and are we internalizing them or using them to fuel internal messages about our own bodies?

Reach out to friends and family—socialize!

Attend an Instagram live eating support event.

Not able to meet up with friends to share a meal? Check out accounts like @covid19eatingsupport, which offer frequent eating support events through Instagram live—Health at Every Size (HAES) activists, therapists, and educators lead conversations and eat along with you!

Research other free online support groups, online forums, helplines, and recovery mentors. There are lots!

Get plenty of sleep.

A full night’s sleep on a regular basis helps your body let you know what nutrients it needs, and also mitigates stress, which can trigger disordered eating behaviors.

Research mindfulness activities to mitigate stress you may be feeling, related or unrelated to food and eating.

Know that you are not alone.

And as always, we recommend finding a supportive and affirming mental health provider to talk to in these trying times, who can help you develop personalized coping strategies for any struggles you may face around food and eating.

BLOG AUTHORS ALL HOLD POSITIONS AT THE GENDER & SEXUALITY THERAPY CENTER (G&STC). THIS BLOG WAS WRITTEN BY G&STC THERAPIST IN TRAINING SULA MALINA. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR THERAPISTS AND SERVICES PLEASE CONTACT US.