Most Muslims across the globe are extremely diligent in fasting in the month of Ramadan, however there are exceptions: An eating disorder (ED) is a mental illness where people use eating behaviours to cope with difficult situations. You can balance your faith with eating disorder recovery. Learn how to navigate religious fasting during Ramadan, Lent, Yom Kippur and other holidays. Muslims with eating disorders can struggle during Ramadan, when the ritual of fasting from sunrise to sunset can mask restrictive dieting patterns. As the Islamic holy month of Ramadan When I struggled with Orthorexia, fasting became a way to fixate on being “pure” and “clean”. Any perceived failure I’d make was judged harshly by the Eating disorder voice. If my Eating Disorder wasn’t pleased, I felt immense self-loathing. Ramadan should be a time for joy and gratitude, but for me it became a scary ordeal. Ramadan can be a triggering time for those suffering from an eating disorder in a number of ways. The practice of fasting can contribute to bingeing. For one who is unable to fast during the month of Ramadan due to an eating disorder that could pose a risk to their health, fasting should not be seen as the only means to work towards increasing taqwa. The month of Ramadan is also an important time to reconnect with the Quran, as it is also referred to as the month of revelation [Surah Al To help eliminate barriers to support and treatment options, we’ve compiled a list of eating disorder and mental health resources specifically for the Muslim community and those celebrating Ramadan. Navigating Ramadan with an Eating Disorder If you are someone worried about your relationship with food and your body, and how that might affect your relationship with fasting, know that you’re not alone. Learn how to manage eating disorders during Ramadan with tips from experts. Navigate fasting and feasting with compassion and support. Written by : Ritika Sakhuja This blog post is a collaboration between the Centre for Muslim Wellbeing and Eating Disorders Victoria. If you or someone you care about is concerned about an eating disorder, please contact the EDV Hub or the Centre for Muslim Wellbeing. Ramadan, fasting and eating disorders . This post has been generously contributed by psychologist Zahra Dr. Rania Awaad, director of the Muslim Mental Health & Islamic Psychology Lab at Stanford University, said discussions of eating disorders and Ramadan fasting come up frequently in medical circles. Eating disorders exist in all community groups and Ramadan can be a challenging time for Muslims who have current or former eating disorder lived experience. The daily cycle of fasting followed by cultural traditions of feasting in the evening can be triggers eating disorder related thoughts and feelings, and can even be contradictory to a Fasting with an eating disorder. As the month of Ramadan is considered to be one of the holiest in the Islamic calendar, for those who struggle with disordered eating, or who are unable to fast It may trigger a relapse, and your eating disorder may skew your mindset away from fasting for faith to fasting for your eating disorder. Ramadan impacts a spectrum of eating disorders – anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorderthe list goes on, so engaging in fasting for Ramadan may be harmful for you, your growth, and your Ramadan fasting is very different from eating disorder fasting. Muslims practice fasting periodically for spiritual cleansing and for fulfilling one of the requirements of Islam. When fasting no longer becomes a requirement to fulfill religious obligations and begins to border an eating disorder, then there is a serious issue. This is something I've been wondering about for a while, as a non-Muslim with an eating disorder. Are Muslims with or recovering from eating disorders, especially eating disorders that involve compulsive fasting, obligated to fast during Ramadan, even if fasting is a disordered behavior for them and engaging in it could potentially set them back in their recovery? As the Islamic holy month of Ramadan begins, Habiba says she is “terrified” by the thought of fasting this year. After her disordered eating patterns spiraled into bulimia and binge eating Fasting is a central part of the holy month of Ramadan — but for those affected by an eating disorder, doing so can be complicated and potentially dangerous. Here's what experts say about how to approach the holiday. Every year when Ramadan comes around, I open up about my experience with an eating disorder. It can be such a tricky time for those of us struggling with an eating disorder. For the past seven years, I've been strictly told not to fast by medical professionals who were treating me for my eating disorder in hospital.
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