Veganism and Eating Disorders
Jenn Friedman, MA, MHC-LP, is a Mental Health Counselor, author, and musician. She provides therapy at MTZ Counseling, drawing on psychodynamic and cognitive principles. Jenn is the author of Veganism and Eating Disorder Recovery (Routledge, 2022).
Calling all vegans, those in eating disorder recovery, and anyone with ethical or religious eating restrictions!
This blog post is a must-read. Today, we take a deep dive into a conversation that is tailor-made for you. We begin with the complex interplay between veganism and eating disorders. Jenn and I identify the difference between restrictions that have everything to do with your eating disorder and that have nothing to do with your eating disorder. We identify what's what and reiterate the idea that each situation needs to be treated as individualized.
Note: For those of you who have other ethical and religious restrictions on food, swap the vegan part and insert whatever your restriction may be. A good number of you, I know, keep Kosher (perhaps we should do a more thorough on that 🤔), and this will be really helpful for you, too.
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Defining Veganism
Our expert, Jenn, presents a simple yet comprehensive definition of veganism from the Vegan Society: “Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practical, all forms of exploitation of and cruelty to animals for food, clothing, or any other purposes. By extension, veganism promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans, and the environment. In dietary terms, it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals. Overall it is a lifestyle that avoids all animal foods such as meat, dairy, eggs, and honey.”
It’s a fascinating lifestyle that goes beyond what’s on your plate!
Understanding the Core Concepts of Veganism and Eating Disorders
*Keep in mind that this information is Jenn’s professional and personal opinion.*
Jenn delves into the misconceptions surrounding veganism and its potential links to eating disorders. It’s easy to assume that veganism is just another form of restriction (something that’s always in the back of my head) but not quite!
Vegan restrictions are different from what you would consider restrictions for someone who has an eating disorder. Going back to the core concept, vegans do not believe their dietary exclusions of animal products are restrictive because they do not consider animals to be food.
The mentality around dietary exclusions and restrictions is completely different between vegans and someone with an eating disorder. Thriving vegans actually get excited about discovering alternative options and relishing in delicious meals.
Harmful Conflation: Misunderstanding of Veganism in the Eating Disorder Field
Recovery can be a bumpy road for vegans undergoing treatment, as not all centers fully comprehend the possibility of maintaining veganism while recovering. This leads to a clash of goals: promoting mindfulness and joy around food versus being forced to consume non-vegan items.
The result? A potential traumatic experience that contradicts the vegan’s deeply held beliefs. It’s crucial for clinicians to build trust, understanding, and validation for their patients. Compassion and empathy go a long way in this journey.
Navigating Recovery: Challenges Faced by Vegans in Treatment
Eating disorder recovery, especially in higher levels of care, is really tricky when working with vegans. It’s easy for a clinician to say one of two things: a. “Oh, you’re vegan! Great, let’s do the vegan option.” and b. “Nah, you can’t be vegan. It’s your eating disorder that’s restrictive. Let’s add animal products to your meal plan.” None of these options take nuance and individualism into account.
It’s a delicate area that requires collaboration between patients and their care facility. Customizing treatment plans and fostering trust pave the way for progress, ensuring a compassionate environment that doesn’t enable harmful behaviors.
Meeting where the patient is, does not mean giving the patient the green light for restriction or only to eat their safe foods. It means to show the patient compassion and understanding.
Being in treatment will show if a person is genuinely vegan.
With veganism, there is no fear of food, so in treatment, a person wouldn’t be able to only eat salads and their safe foods. There will still be challenges. As clinicians, you use ongoing assessments, questioning, and support which are essential components of successful treatment.
Vegan-Informed Approach
This is derived from the Trauma-Informed approach, which is adapted for veganism. Jenn shares 13 principles from the trauma-informed approach and adapts those to fit the needs of a vegan in eating recovery treatment.
In the podcast, Jenn highlights a few principles she adapted for professionals to consider while working with patients. (Check it out at the 31:30 minute mark). Jenn’s book Veganism and Eating Disorder Recovery (Routledge, 2022), is filled with insights and in-depth guidance. The highlights she shares are truly just a snippet of how helpful this book is.
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Tweetable Quotes
“Thriving vegans actually get excited about discovering alternative options and relishing in delicious meals.” – Jenn Friedman
“Compassion and empathy go a long way in this journey. ” - Rachelle Heinemann
“Customizing treatment plans and fostering trust pave the way for progress” Rachelle Heinemann
Resources
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Hey there! I’m Rachelle, the host of the Understanding Disordered Eating Podcast. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I work with clients to make sense of life’s messy emotional experiences.
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