March 05th, 2013

The Anorexic’s Favorite Holiday

Tomorrow is Yom Kippur also known as the anorexic’s favorite holiday for those struggling with eating disorders.  Yom Kippur is the holiest and most important day of the year in the Jewish faith. It is the Day of Atonement and recognized in part by abstaining from food and drink for nearly 26 hours. This can be tricky for people struggling with eating disorder thoughts and behaviors. Two common scenarios of fasting are :

Conversations with Jewish scholars concur;  persons  struggling with eating disorder behaviors could be excused from fasting due to health reasons. They suggest that sacrifice can take many forms, including fasting from TV, gaming, or even participating in gossiping.  My recommendation is honor the holiday by focusing on prayer and/or attending services.

Happy New Year!