Thanksgiving is publicized as eating a lot of food and hanging out with family, but these are soft spots for many people. Thanksgiving is America’s excuse to eat A LOT of food, and honestly I hate it. The holiday season as a whole can be very difficult, especially for many high schoolers.

Difficulties with Food

With social media the way it is today, many teenagers and people worldwide have developed eating disorders and disordered eating habits. Social media isn’t the only cause. There are other factors, like bullying, and your peers and families’ view of you. People’s words can hurt and can lead to these issues.

The holidays can really highlight these issues. When family comes to town to eat one big holiday meal, it can trigger many people, from the counting calories to the degrading comments made by family members about your image. Personally my family isn’t the type to make these comments but I do struggle with food sometimes.

I have never personally struggled with a diagnosed eating disorder, but some close friends have, and I am very aware of what I’m putting in my body. As I filled up my Thanksgiving plate,l all I could think about were the calories. Thinking about them made me think of the many other people worldwide struggling with the same thing.

There are many levels and extremities to how bad people’s relationships are with food and the holiday season really highlights them. There is no easy fix and there isn’t a way to make it easier on these people considering that big holiday meals are a part of almost every family’s traditions.

Difficulties with Family

Most holidays and holiday celebrations are very family oriented but, the sad fact is that not everyone has a family. Some people who do have a family don’t have a good home life or don’t have a good relationship with them. I am privileged enough to have a family to spend the holidays with, but everyone should always be checking on their friends to make sure they have people to spend the holidays with.

One thing I also noticed this year at my Thanksgiving celebration was that there were less people there than prior years. The holidays are a time to celebrate and be happy, but they also shine a light on the members of your family that aren’t there anymore. The holidays make you miss that person or those people 10 times more. No matter the reason these family members aren’t there, the fact that they aren’t there can hurt.

Although thanksgiving already passed there is still room to be there for your peers, friends and family this holiday season. Check up on them to make sure they have someone to spend the holidays with and to make sure they are okay. There is no easy way for you to fix their problems but you can definitely make a difference and help. Everyone who is privileged – and that’s most of us – should look to help out the less fortunate.