From turkey to ham, stuffing to corn, and pumpkin pie to cobbler, food is on everyone's mind during the holiday season. But that also means it's more stressful than other times of the year for people who already struggle with thinking about food too much.

Dr. Julie T. Anné, the clinical psychologist who founded A New Beginning, an eating disorder treatment facility, said her patients fight a constant battle, especially around the holiday season.

"You're sitting there, and you're at a family event, but you're really thinking about food -- how is it going to affect me? -- all the time," she said.

While it's common for people to worry about gaining a few extra pounds around the holiday season, that fear is magnified for people with eating disorders. But massive holiday weight gain is rare -- the average is one-half to two pounds, Anné said.

Sitting around the table for a holiday meal is particularly difficult for people with eating disorders, she said. Being surrounded by massive amounts of food is difficult for bulimics, who struggle with portion control and overcoming the compulsion to binge and purge.

"They are going to have an ongoing battle within themselves," she said. "They are going to try and not give in to some of the foods they think they should not eat because they’re afraid that if they do give into those foods, it's going to lapse into binge-eating."

Anorexics, on the other hand, struggle with eating too little. For them, eating one bite of food can be a major challenge.

And the food on the table isn't the only problem -- it can also be who's around the table. People with eating disorders know family and friends are watching, and that pressure also adds to the difficulty of the season, Anné said.

She recommends people offer to help those struggling with eating disorders without being overbearing. Each person with an eating disorder may need something different from their loved ones to help them cope with the disorder during the holiday season, she said. One person may want someone to check on them to make sure they’re eating their Thanksgiving dinner, while another may simply want someone to sit next to at the table.

Either way, the only way to know is by asking, Anné said. Prior to an event, check in on the affected person and volunteer to help them through the holidays.

(Photo copyright D Sharon Pruitt. Licensed through Creative Commons.)