As lockdown ended, Nik’s anxiety about his body returned

“We know that more people are struggling with the way they feel about their body, with eating and exercise behaviours, than ever before,” says Danni Rowlands, Butterfly Foundation’s manager for prevention services.

Rowlands says it still hasn’t sunk in that referring to “COVID kilos” on social media or more subtle suggestions about returning to the gym to lose weight can all be damaging, compounded by the fact we are moving into summer and Christmas. Teenagers and adults in their 20s are most at risk, she says.

“This narrative around coming out of COVID and feeling that in some way we should be ashamed or have done better when it comes to our appearance is really cruel,” Rowlands says. “It’s been incredibly tough, and it’s not the time for people to be turning on themselves or their bodies.”

This resonates with Mitchell. “That idea that you have to kind of go on a diet to fix the bad things that you’ve done over the last few months is … really harmful for people in various stages of recovery,” he says.

“Posts like that reinforce all the negative things you’re trying to fight against. It can really take you back quite far in your own journey.”

It’s a place he doesn’t want to go back to, when he felt a constant need to be better, his mental health suffered and he skipped seeing friends because of his focus on food and exercise.

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Today, Mitchell has coping tools he can lean on, including checking in with himself and writing down his feelings. “Even just typing it out on my phone and then deleting it a couple hours later … It’s a really therapeutic way to free the thought without censoring it,” he says.

He encourages anyone who is struggling to talk to loved ones or seek support – something he only recently learnt to do. Mitchell says he dealt with his issues alone because as a young gay man tormented by the muscular ideal, he didn’t think he fit the stereotypical mould of what an eating disorder should look like.

“I wish that I had [sought help], but I hadn’t,” he says. “I didn’t think that I deserved it.”

Mitchell now has open conversations with friends and urges others to think about how commentary on food, exercise and appearance post-lockdown might be received. “We’ve all just been through such a strange time, let’s try not to exacerbate it.”

Rowlands calls on people to remove any reference in social media posts to body ideals or changing physical appearance, through both imagery and words.

For those who feel triggered, she recommends muting, unfollowing or blocking accounts and reporting posts that are unhelpful. Be gentle on yourself as restrictions end, she says.

“Meet your body where it’s at and make sure that we’re not overdoing it and that the motivator is not to lose the kilos, but to reengage with something that we really enjoy,” Rowlands says. “If people are really struggling, reach out and don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed. It’s unfortunately a reality of the last two years.”

Support is available from Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673.

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