The holiday seasons come with laughs, gatherings, and a myriad of food options. The gatherings typically in Egypt feature foods that are delicious and culturally significant. Although holidays like the holy month of Ramadan, Christmas, or Easter can be times and causes for celebration, more often than not, they come bearing unsolicited body shaming comments, judgment, and food policing from people—some close and others less so. For this reason, the joyous holidays become burdensome—in Egypt and abroad for many—because of feelings of guilt and shame that arise when it comes to food consumption. They can also be triggering for people with eating disorders, which are serious and often fatal illnesses that are associated with severe disturbances in people’s eating behaviors and related thoughts and emotions. Egyptian Streets reached out to Hana Habib, an Egyptian clinical psychologist and eating disorder specialist, about maneuvering the minefield of body shaming during the holidays, tips on dealing with unsolicited comments, and how to enjoy a guilt-free season. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hana Habib, MSc (@healwhana) Habib is a clinical psychologist and nutritionist at Nine Psychology Center, ACPP,…
Dealing with Body Shaming During the Holidays: An Eating Disorder Specialists’ Guide
April 17, 2023
