At a time when too many news alerts or notifications can put my brain on the fritz (screen time is way up for everyone else too, right?!), the one pop-up I’m not minding is when Instagram pushes “@covid19eatingsupport started a live video” to me. This account goes live every hour from 8AM-10PM, with one or two eating disorder recovery therapists and dietitians sharing a meal or snack on camera as a way to offer meal support for those who need it. They chat with each other, answer questions from viewers, share ED recovery resources, or just offer a gentle, lighthearted distraction for anyone who struggles with meal time. My favorite is when dogs make an appearance.
If you are struggling with an increase in disordered eating thoughts during social isolation, I hope this resource can offer some extra loud voices to help you strengthen your healthy self. The live videos usually last 20-45 minutes and start at the top of each hour, so you can plan to eat your meal or snack during them (or re-watch them later!). Kudos to the nutrition community for pivoting so quickly to 100% virtual support for those recovering from EDs in outpatient settings.