As you walk around campus, you hear so many people chatting about how excited they are to go home for Thanksgiving. They're ready to see their families, have a break from school, and, of course, eat and drink everything that comes with celebrating this holiday.

But for people suffering from body dysmorphia or other body image issues, Thanksgiving can be a nightmare. You have family members who haven't seen you in forever who might not be prepared to see how much you've gained or lost. You live in fear that someone will something about how much or how little you're eating. All the while, you're just telling your mind to shut up as you try to enjoy the sweet potatoes and stuffing, despite the fact that the little voice in the back of your head is reminding you how many carbs and calories you're putting into your body.

You might get an sweater a size or two bigger to hide it all, definitely in an attempt to make yourself feel better. You'll think about how many workouts you can squeeze in - or how many you'll be missing since your time isn't going to be entirely yours.

Football means beer, and you might start to freak as a family member tries to put one in your hand. You've been avoiding this at every frat party you've gone to back at school, and you can't believe you forgot Thanksgiving makes it even harder to avoid.

The day after might be even worse than the day of. While everyone is out Black Friday shopping, you'll stare in the mirror, trying to find out where on your body that extra biscuit might show up. And it's terrifying.

For people like me who deal with serious control issues due to anxiety and depression, opportunities to have control seem few and far between. So we turn to food - only you can control what you do or don't put into your body. And Thanksgiving seems to throw a wrench into that plan. People are watching you. People are going back for seconds. And you try to tell yourself to enjoy it. But your brain goes worst-case scenario and you worry that all the work you've put in will have been for nothing. All because of one day.

This isn't just an issue young women face. I know there will be so many young men who will go home for Thanksgiving, the long break that's supposed to be your breath of fresh air from the struggles of school, and live with the same fears.

Here's the deal - there is no easy fix for this. There isn't something people can say to make it better. You're still going to want to have control. But you can have control and still enjoy it.

Start yourself off with smaller portions. Put your fork down between bites. Have a glass of wine instead of a beer.

Don't let your need for control take away from this time you have with your family, friends, and loved ones. As soon as this break is over you're going to dive headfirst into finals. Enjoy the time you have to breathe. Don't let food break you. You're breaking bread with the people who love you most. And the food they're sharing with you was made with love, no matter how cheesy it sounds.

Take the extra biscuit. And don't worry about it tomorrow. Just buy yourself a nice pair of jeans when you're out shopping. Don't think twice about how they fit because I guarantee it'll be just perfect.