One of the most anticipated holidays is just around the corner: Halloween. But for students living with an eating disorder, Halloween can be a living nightmare. Those with pre-existing body image issues may feel additional pressure to conform to the “idealized” body type, leading to unhealthy restriction and fears surrounding certain foods. Others may struggle with having self-control around candy and seasonal food items.
“Social media has … created this homogenization, where it’s expected that everyone fits into this cookie cutter model, and I think that especially for Halloween and how we dress ourselves and express ourselves for the holiday,” said Vipin Eapen, a biomedical engineering senior and former director of Student Government’s Mental Health Agency.
“Halloween body,” a term coined by Gen Z to describe the ideal hourglass figure for costumes, represents the unrealistic standards pushed on social media. In fact, if you look up “costume inspiration” on TikTok, there’s a consistent pattern of revealing costumes emphasizing certain parts of the body.
Not having a diagnosed eating disorder is not a reason to dismiss anxiety about body image and eating fixations. Studies have found that social media creates a culture of body comparison, which inflicts a negative impact on users. College students are especially vulnerable to developing poor eating habits like binging or skipping meals due to the pressures of independent living, a heavier workload and navigating a new social environment. Halloween and midterm season only exacerbate these feelings.
“It’s not just students with a diagnosed eating disorder that might be suffering from body issues, especially when you have things like Halloween and all the stressors … like exams, peer influence and everything,” Eapen said. “It’s really easy to develop an unhealthy idea of what you might have to look like, especially when you’re catering to the expectations of other people.”
Despite the pressure surrounding the Halloween season, it’s vital to remember that the clothes you wear don’t define your entire costume. If you don’t feel comfortable in revealing clothes, emphasize other parts like your hair, makeup and accessories. There are over 2.9 million videos on TikTok that provide unique makeup tutorials. You don’t have to dress like everyone else to feel confident.
“I feel like this idea of ‘I have to exercise to go out’ is a terrible thing,” said Monica Milonovich, an associate professor of nutrition. “With respect to Halloween costumes: pick a costume that fits your body. Don’t make your body try to fit a costume. What’s going to make you feel really good and powerful on that night? You’re supposed to have fun, and you want to feel good. What better way to feel good than picking something that fits you?”
UT also has many resources for students who may be struggling with their eating habits this season. Healthyhorns’ Mindful Eating team consists of licensed dietitians, counselors and physicians who are readily available to meet with students. Healthyhorns hosts free nutrition workshops throughout the semester for students to learn how to build a balanced diet, along with one-on-one evaluation sessions.
Enjoy Halloween. It only comes once a year. Just remember that your body isn’t the costume.
Messner is a public affairs freshman from Las Vegas, Nevada.