Common summer challenges in eating disorder recovery
For some, eating disorder recovery in the summer also comes with unique challenges and triggers, especially as routines shift and social expectations increase with outdoor activities, family parties and vacations. These shifts can be uncomfortable or trigger feelings to bubble up, even if you’ve been stable in your recovery.
Disrupted routines and recovery habits
Schedule changes, travel, events, different work hours, or just less structure from day to day can disrupt routines and recovery habits. You might notice that habits that felt steady before suddenly take more effort to maintain.
More social situations and food-related stress
There may be more social situations than usual, such as group dinners, vacations and last-minute gatherings. For some people, unpredictability around food or social expectations can feel stressful.
Body image triggers in the summer months
Warmer weather often means different clothing, more visibility and sometimes more comparison, all of which can become body image triggers. Even if things have been going well, it may bring up thoughts that haven’t been there for a while, leaving you frustrated or catching you off guard.
Pressure to feel happy in summer
Summer is supposed to be a more carefree and relaxed season of feeling good. So when you’re feeling "off,” it can be confusing. You might find yourself wondering, “Why am I struggling right now?” Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean our feelings suddenly go away.
If this comes up, it doesn’t mean you’re off track in recovery
We hear this a lot -- summer catches you off guard. You're not alone.
Things can be going well, and then suddenly feel harder in ways that are difficult to explain. That doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong, and it doesn’t mean you’re back at the beginning.
It just means you’re in a different moment of the process.
How to stay supported in recovery during the summer
You don’t need to overhaul everything. A few small adjustments can help, even if they don’t fix everything right away.
Keep a few anchors in your daily routine
Even if your schedule shifts, having one or two consistent parts of your day can make things feel more stable.
Plan ahead for challenging situations in recovery
If you know something might feel challenging, thinking it through ahead of time can relieve some pressure in the moment.
Stay connected to support systems
Whether it’s a therapist, a support group or a person you trust, staying connected matters — especially when things feel a little off.
Practice flexibility in recovery
Recovery isn’t about getting everything right; t’s about moving through it. Some days will feel harder than others, and that’s part of the process.
When to seek additional support
If things have started to feel consistently harder, or you feel you have to work harder just to stay on track, it might be a good time to reach out.
That could look like:
Checking in with your care team
Joining a support group
Exploring more structured support
You don’t have to wait for things to get worse to get help.
You don’t have to navigate this alone
If summer has been feeling harder than expected, especially if triggers are coming up more often, support is here.
You can:
For some, a short-term reset can be helpful — something that brings a bit more structure and support without feeling overwhelming. Our virtual two-week Nutrition Recharge program for those in recovery from an eating disorder is designed to do exactly that: offer a focused way to reconnect with routines and feel more grounded.
Even a small step like starting a conversation can make things feel more manageable.
Recovery doesn’t pause for the summer. And you don’t have to figure it out on your own.