By Kaela Scott

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Mr. Rogers

As I sat down to write this the very first thing I did was take a deep breath. Even as a trained therapist I am not immune to the panic that is taking place all around us right now and the act of remembering to breathe is often one of the simplest but most useful tools we can implement. Do you think you could take a deep breath right now as you read this? The emotional climate right now is an uncertain and anxious one and for all the challenge that brings, if you look for it, you will also see there are a lot of helpers. My hope is that through the Looking Glass Foundation’s many resources, and through our community at large you will realize you are not alone as we all go through this global pandemic that is triggering at large, and also presents some unique experiences to individuals experiencing an eating disorder.

It feels like in the past week the world became an unfamiliar place. Things we once felt were safe or a given, have been challenged and the steps we were perhaps taking with great care can feel or look different right now than we expect or want. Some of those changes will likely feel very triggering because it may mean giving up some of the ways we comfort ourselves, and also some of the ways we comfort our eating disorders. This will be hard, and I also believe you have the capacity to get through it.

Take for example, what we see happening at all of our grocery stores. Shelves are left empty as people are mass purchasing items out of fear. While it has been reported that there are no supply issues with our food and basic needs, it doesn’t change people worrying that they won’t be able to look after themselves or their families. When we see others panic, it often causes us to panic and the whole cycle continues. When working through recovery this can be even more challenging because it can create a scarcity mindset which can either look very familiar to how we treated ourselves in our eating disorder, or it can trigger more binge like behaviors. Your responsibility to yourself right now is to remind yourself that for the many ways that COVID-19 is affecting your quality of life, food doesn’t need to be one of them. Order your food in advance and have it delivered. Remove yourself from the experience of being in grocery stores right now and instead meal plan and purchase all your items from the comfort of your own computer. It helps eliminate decisions in the moment and means you don’t have to experience other people’s emotions and reactions in an environment that can be challenging at the best of time. Remember that retreating into your eating disorder behaviors isn’t going to make these uncertain times more certain.

If there is anything needed more than ever right now it is kindness. Kindness to yourself, kindness to your family and friends, and kindness to your community. Be gentle with yourself. If there is any time to soften it is now. Drop your eating disorder’s harmful expectations and replace them with messages of support and acknowledgment that it is okay to be feeling lots of different emotions in this experience. This is especially true if you are having to give up some familiar comforts like going to your local yoga studio or gym for example. Routines have to change and it is absolutely okay to have lots of different feelings about that. It is also a time to seek out the kindness in others to support yourself as you navigate not only your usual triggers and challenges but also these new ones. The odd thing about right now is that we need community more than ever, while also having to physically distance ourselves from people as much as possible. What I want to remind you of is that social distance doesn’t mean social isolation. The more you virtually connect with people right now the more you will have space to process all that you are going through – something that research shows has a tremendously positive effect on one’s immune system. My biggest recommendation as you navigate these unknown waters is to reach out to us so we can support you in your recovery and anything else you are experiencing. We are here to remind you that you will be okay, that we will get through this, and also that you are not alone.

Now more than ever we need to practice self-care to the very depths of our being. There will be parts of this experience that will be undeniably hard, and will challenge you in ways you may not feel prepared for. You are. And that is also why we are here, so that when life gets tough, or when you feel triggered, you have people you can turn to who care about you and can help you through it. So whatever your experience may be over these next few weeks or months, please reach out. We are here to support you.

Kaela Scott is a Registered Clinical Counsellor who specializes in Eating Disorders. She runs her own private practice and works with the Looking Glass Foundation in both their summer camp and their Hand In Hand Program. She has been passionate about working with eating disorders since freeing herself from her own struggle and realizing what it is like to be happy and well. When she isn’t working, you can find Kaela either cozying up with a cup of tea and her friends or up in the mountains going for a hike. 

By Sierra Turner

“Lets start this post off with everyone taking a deep breath. Don’t worry, I’m doing it over here, too, as I write these words."

It’s ironic, really. Ironic, as in the past- anyone who told me I needed to breathe likely was on the receiving end of invisible daggers coming from my eyes. But here we are, and I’m telling you to breathe- I’m telling myself to breathe- and I think we all could do with a reminder to just. breathe.  

There is a lot going on in the world right now.  Things feel heavy, and there is a lot of fear. Do you feel it too? As someone with a long-standing battle with Anxiety, it’s easy to become wrapped up and immersed in the articles, statistics, news, and conversations regarding COVID-19. 

I was reflecting the other day on how this pandemic could (and likely would!) have been detrimental during my darkest days in my Eating Disorder. Feeling the need to isolate, avoiding seeing friends, spending less time in public places (I.e., food shopping at the grocery store, etc.)... Well, my Eating Disorder could very well have taken the upper hand on this situation, and used it to its advantage. I reflect with immense gratitude (and even a bit of pride!) that I’m in a place where I can make these decisions for me. I know that being social (albeit mostly virtual at this point!) is integral to my mental and physical health, as is proper nourishment, fresh air, and rest- YES, sleep is vital! And I’ve come to realize that over the past couple weeks, my sleep has taken a bit of a position on the back burner, as my anxiety levels rose and the dialogue from those surrounding me instilled that fear. This is new territory for our world as a whole; It’s scary, unnerving, unsettling, and uncomfortable.  

This is a great opportunity to practice some skills that come in handy during Eating Disorder Recovery. I try to look at this all as an experiment- what can I try out today? What worked/didn’t work/felt good/didn’t feel good yesterday? How can I use this time to really get to know myself? I truly believe that these skills will be beneficial in the long run of life. I want to share them with you, as they have been a great reminder to myself these past couple weeks. 

1. Set boundaries:  If you’re finding yourself being present in a number of conversations with those who bring up the virus, kindly ask if you can change the subject to something a bit more light-hearted. I’ve been doing this on occasion, and it feels good change the topic to funny things like the newest dog video on Tik Tok, or hilarious childhood memories. 
2. Unfollow/hit pause on social media accounts that leave you feeling unsettled: This was hard for me, as some people I had to unfollow were people in my immediate life, or close to me. I felt guilty for taking this action, and have further realized how much less anxious I feel. 
3. Take a social media break: Maybe even this is a good idea! Take a day, two, or even a week off of your Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts. If you feel that everywhere you look and read, someone is sharing something about the virus, perhaps it’s time to put the phone down, and do something else! 
4. Self Care: That Netflix series you have been meaning to watch? Watch it! Been meaning to call your grandma? Call her!  Have a stack of books waiting to be read? Get reading. Have a recipe you have wanted to try out? Make it!
5. Rest: This one is important! Use this time to get to bed a bit earlier, or have that nap that has been calling your name. Maybe rest to you is listening to a podcast, or practicing a guided meditation (I’m super into insight timer these days! Highly recommend). 
6. Laugh: Yes, you gotta laugh! Laughter, after all, is the best medicine. So turn on that wonderful Pixar film or friends episode, find some fabulous memes, or look up ‘world’s most terrible jokes’... I promise you will giggle. 
7. Connect: Yes, there are still ways to connect! I’ll be honest, this has been difficult for me - not having the luxury of seeing friends whenever I please; however, there are ways to get creative! Perhaps you face time with a friend while eating your supper? Maybe you can get out for a walk in the fresh air while chatting on the phone- it’s like using walkie-talkies all over again! I’ve even gotten onto Netflix at the same time as friends, all beginning our show collectively. It’s like we are together. It’s okay to feel lonely, it’s okay to feel isolated, AND it’s okay to find a way to still meet this need.
8. Self Compassion: This is so important! If the tears come, let them flow. If anger or fear arrises, feel it! Perhaps you call someone to process these feelings, or use your journal as an outlet. It is integral that we treat ourselves with compassion for whatever comes up- what you feel is valid!

Notice how familiar these tools sound? These are all a reminder of ways you can take care of YOU- not only now with the state of the world, but also during recovery from your Eating Disorder. That’s the beautiful part of Recovery - you become so self aware of what you need/don’t need, and how to prioritize yourself and your mental health. 

Try to lessen any judgement toward yourself and bring self-compassion into your personal dialogue. It’s important to be aware of the nature of the situation at our hands; however, I encourage you to protect your heart and mind during this anxiety provoking time, if you find yourself overwhelmed in fear. Take care of you! 

Sierra is a student on the journey & discovery of life, dedicated to seeking out the little joys in each and every day. She is passionate about Mental Health, and currently exploring her future of hoping to support those with Mental Illnesses and Eating Disorders in a professional way. You can often find her exploring one of Vancouver’s best coffee shops, soaking up a sunset, walking by the ocean with her pup, or trying a new flavour of ice cream!