How to Support Someone Struggling With Food During Ramadan
Ramadan is often experienced as a time of community, generosity, and shared meals. Families and friends gather at iftar, traditions are honoured, and food becomes an important part of the daily rhythm.
Yet for someone living with an eating disorder or a difficult relationship with food, this time can feel complicated and emotionally challenging.
Support from family members and loved ones can make a meaningful difference.
Understanding what someone may be experiencing
Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions. They are not simply about food or willpower.
A person may be experiencing:
- anxiety about eating in social settings
- pressure to fast when their health makes it difficult
- fear of overeating after a long period without food
- guilt or shame about their relationship with food
Approaching these experiences with compassion rather than judgment can be incredibly important.
Ways to offer supportive conversations
If someone you care about is struggling, gentle and open conversations can help.
You might begin by expressing care rather than offering advice.
For example: “I have noticed Ramadan seems to feel quite difficult for you this year. If you ever want to talk about it, I am here.”
Creating a sense of emotional safety often matters more than finding the perfect words.
Reducing pressure around food and fasting
Sometimes individuals feel pressure from family or community expectations to fast, even when they are struggling.
Being supportive may involve reassuring them that their health matters and that they are not alone in navigating these decisions.
Understanding that illness can be a valid reason for adjusting religious practices can also help reduce guilt.
Many people also wrestle with the question of whether they should fast while managing an eating disorder. You can read more about that here: Can You Fast During Ramadan With an Eating Disorder?
If you would like a broader understanding of the challenges Ramadan can sometimes bring for people with eating disorders, you may find this guide helpful: Eating Disorders and Ramadan: A Compassionate Guide
For example:
• Would fasting reinforce patterns of restriction or control around food?
• Would it increase the risk of binge eating later in the evening?
• Is the decision to fast being driven by spiritual intention, or by the eating disorder itself?
• Would fasting make recovery more difficult right now?
These questions are not meant to create pressure. They are simply a way of approaching the decision with honesty and care.
Further reading
If you would like to understand the psychological reasons fasting can sometimes intensify binge eating patterns, you may find this article helpful: Why Fasting Can Trigger Binge Eating
Dr Beverley Marais is a psychologist specialising in the treatment of binge eating, emotional eating, and complex relationships with food.
She works with individuals who feel caught in cycles of restriction, overeating, or constant thoughts about food, helping them develop a calmer and more trusting relationship with eating.
Her work focuses on understanding the psychological patterns that drive eating difficulties, rather than relying on diets or willpower.
Dr Marais has extensive experience supporting individuals struggling with binge eating, bulimia, and emotional eating through evidence-based psychological approaches.
Learn more about her work here:
