Binge Eating Disorder (BED) Help!!

Cathy_Daydreams

I believe this is the same disorder as Compulsive Overeating, I'm not sure which name is being used officially or if both are used interchangeably. Compulsive overeating is as real as anorexia nervosa or bulimia is real. ENDOS is also an eating disorder, which simply put, is like a combination of the existing disorders or a different unhealthy relationship with food.
I have struggled with ednos for years. I was bulimic for a long time as a teen and didn't get any help. My mom just yelled at me for wasting food and implied anorexia would be a better choice for her finances. It is difficult, and if you have the ability to see a doctor I would recommend. Ask if your insurance will help you with seeing a counselor and a nutritionist, if you have insurance. The combination could help you work through your food issues while giving you some good information about what you should be eating.

I think a lot of them are very similar, as far as I understand, but bare in mind I am by no means an expert on all this stuff, you either struggle with eating too little food or too much, if that makes sense ? correct me if I'm wrong .
and yeah my mum is the same she seems to care about wasting food and finance even though she's now got a job and my dad, although technically retired, still does some tutoring which brings in a fair bit of money.
I am going to have to look at insurance more closely now you've mentioned it. It never occurred to me that this was an option, thank you for highlighting this for me.

Rachelmilloy

Just wanted to say that this is such a lovely, gentle, caring thread... and Cathy, it's hard to believe you're just a teenager, you have a lovely manner - so respectful of others, and so responsive and appreciative of the heartfelt posts from other members. I say this just in case you don't realize that you have a wonderful personality. And I wanted to say that in my opinion, it's not the label that matters, it's the behavior ... so it doesn't really matter if the behavior is explained away by your family and friends as "lack of self- control"... lol, fine, then just tell them you're looking for help with your "lack of self-control".... I don't think you need to expend a bunch of energy persuading them to use a different label - let them call it what they will. Best of luck to you although I'm sure a thoughtful, reflective person such as yourself will triumph over this situation. And don't ever start thinking of yourself as unworthy or undeserving because clearly you are very worthy and most deserving!

0somuchbetter0

Please don't take offense to my suggestion. I have a lap and, and it is definitely my off button. I can't overeat, or I have pain, and vomit. Maybe this could be an option?

Sorry, but this is terrible advice. BED is an emotional, psychological problem. The lap band (or any other WLS) makes it physically more difficult to overeat, yes, but it doesn't even begin to address the BED. Besides, how can you even suggest WLS to an 18-yr-old who has barely had time to figure out her food issues and try to solve them? In addition, you don't even know how overweight she is, if at all. WLS is a last resort, not an easy fix!

snelson0511

Hon I am the same way....and it took years but I've finally figured out (at least for me) why I do it and got professional help. I went to a therapist and got on some anti anxiety medicine. I felt ashamed at first that I couldn't handle life without medical help until I realized what I am doing with medicine was what I was doing with food anyway. This helped me keep the right mindset about food...it's fuel it's not a crutch.

My dad always says we go once a year to check and make sure our bodies aren't overstressed, why do we not check our minds too?

Good luck girl! You have a ton of people who sympathize I know it!

whitejessamine

Okay,
I'm going to have to be really short about this because I have a tendency to ramble.
I haven't been officially diagnosed but I am certain I have BED and since a lot of my family and friends don't believe it's actually real ( a lot of them think it's an excuse to be lazy or just means I have a lack of self control) it makes getting help and support quite hard. I want to go and see my dr to sort out once and for all if I have the disorder and get some professional help because I don't think I can so this alone at all, I have tried so many times to combat it alone, with no lasting results.
My one problem is I'm nervous around dr's anyway, the ones at my local surgery seem to just want to stuff drugs down my throat and the idea of telling one of them that I use food as an emotional crutch and then have him come back to me and tell me that I just lack self control is the scariest thing in the world.
I just burst into tears thinking about it last night.
I don't know what to do, how to sort this out or how to get through this, is it possible that I don't have BED, every checklist I've been on says I have but so many ppl are saying it's not real and even if it is how do I get help when I'm so scared of the dr's as it is ?

whitejessamine

Okay,
I'm going to have to be really short about this because I have a tendency to ramble.
I haven't been officially diagnosed but I am certain I have BED and since a lot of my family and friends don't believe it's actually real ( a lot of them think it's an excuse to be lazy or just means I have a lack of self control) it makes getting help and support quite hard. I want to go and see my dr to sort out once and for all if I have the disorder and get some professional help because I don't think I can so this alone at all, I have tried so many times to combat it alone, with no lasting results.
My one problem is I'm nervous around dr's anyway, the ones at my local surgery seem to just want to stuff drugs down my throat and the idea of telling one of them that I use food as an emotional crutch and then have him come back to me and tell me that I just lack self control is the scariest thing in the world.
I just burst into tears thinking about it last night.
I don't know what to do, how to sort this out or how to get through this, is it possible that I don't have BED, every checklist I've been on says I have but so many ppl are saying it's not real and even if it is how do I get help when I'm so scared of the dr's as it is ?

A) It is real. It is mentioned in the DSM-IV-TR (the most current revision of the book used by psychiatrists and psychologists to diagnose and determine treatment for mental disorders). It is currently listed as something in need of further study, but diagnostic criteria are listed. It will mostly likely have a full entry in the DSM-V, scheduled to be released in May.
I have it too.
C) I finally got mine under control, using DBT for BED/BN (Dialectic Behavior Therapy for Binge Eating Disorder/Bulimia Nervosa). I strongly recommend this therapy. It is very effective. On the downside, you have to be seriously committed to making it work. It is not something that is done to you or for you, it is a method for retraining your thoughts, your emotions, and your responses to those thoughts and emotions. It's pretty intense and takes some hard work. It feels a lot better than binging ever did, though. I would recommend you look for a counselor in your area with experience using this treatment. It is sometimes done as group therapy, and sometimes individual. There are benefits and drawbacks to both types. But it is out there.
D) If you cannot find DBT in your area, I strongly recommend counseling anyway...binge eating is a psychological problem. Most people who binge do it to avoid painful emotions they do not know how to handle. Counseling of any type (with an effective counselor) can teach you how to handle those emotions.
Good luck!

Cathy_Daydreams

Hon I am the same way....and it took years but I've finally figured out (at least for me) why I do it and got professional help. I went to a therapist and got on some anti anxiety medicine. I felt ashamed at first that I couldn't handle life without medical help until I realized what I am doing with medicine was what I was doing with food anyway. This helped me keep the right mindset about food...it's fuel it's not a crutch.

My dad always says we go once a year to check and make sure our bodies aren't overstressed, why do we not check our minds too?

Good luck girl! You have a ton of people who sympathize I know it!

Thank you so much and I'm glad to hear that things are going well for you

Cathy_Daydreams

Just wanted to say that this is such a lovely, gentle, caring thread... and Cathy, it's hard to believe you're just a teenager, you have a lovely manner - so respectful of others, and so responsive and appreciative of the heartfelt posts from other members. I say this just in case you don't realize that you have a wonderful personality. And I wanted to say that in my opinion, it's not the label that matters, it's the behavior ... so it doesn't really matter if the behavior is explained away by your family and friends as "lack of self- control"... lol, fine, then just tell them you're looking for help with your "lack of self-control".... I don't think you need to expend a bunch of energy persuading them to use a different label - let them call it what they will. Best of luck to you although I'm sure a thoughtful, reflective person such as yourself will triumph over this situation. And don't ever start thinking of yourself as unworthy or undeserving because clearly you are very worthy and most deserving!

Aww bless, this truly made my night
I get what you're saying about the label and I agree with you in some ways. I don't care what my parents call it but it's the fact that with that label comes the idea of 'oh well it's up to you I can't help you, you have to do it yourself and you should do it entirely on your own' if you get me?
I don't mind what people call it as long as I get the help and support I feel I need.
and thank yoouuu so much you're so kind

Cathy_Daydreams

Okay,
I'm going to have to be really short about this because I have a tendency to ramble.
I haven't been officially diagnosed but I am certain I have BED and since a lot of my family and friends don't believe it's actually real ( a lot of them think it's an excuse to be lazy or just means I have a lack of self control) it makes getting help and support quite hard. I want to go and see my dr to sort out once and for all if I have the disorder and get some professional help because I don't think I can so this alone at all, I have tried so many times to combat it alone, with no lasting results.
My one problem is I'm nervous around dr's anyway, the ones at my local surgery seem to just want to stuff drugs down my throat and the idea of telling one of them that I use food as an emotional crutch and then have him come back to me and tell me that I just lack self control is the scariest thing in the world.
I just burst into tears thinking about it last night.
I don't know what to do, how to sort this out or how to get through this, is it possible that I don't have BED, every checklist I've been on says I have but so many ppl are saying it's not real and even if it is how do I get help when I'm so scared of the dr's as it is ?

A) It is real. It is mentioned in the DSM-IV-TR (the most current revision of the book used by psychiatrists and psychologists to diagnose and determine treatment for mental disorders). It is currently listed as something in need of further study, but diagnostic criteria are listed. It will mostly likely have a full entry in the DSM-V, scheduled to be released in May.
I have it too.
C) I finally got mine under control, using DBT for BED/BN (Dialectic Behavior Therapy for Binge Eating Disorder/Bulimia Nervosa). I strongly recommend this therapy. It is very effective. On the downside, you have to be seriously committed to making it work. It is not something that is done to you or for you, it is a method for retraining your thoughts, your emotions, and your responses to those thoughts and emotions. It's pretty intense and takes some hard work. It feels a lot better than binging ever did, though. I would recommend you look for a counselor in your area with experience using this treatment. It is sometimes done as group therapy, and sometimes individual. There are benefits and drawbacks to both types. But it is out there.
D) If you cannot find DBT in your area, I strongly recommend counseling anyway...binge eating is a psychological problem. Most people who binge do it to avoid painful emotions they do not know how to handle. Counseling of any type (with an effective counselor) can teach you how to handle those emotions.
Good luck!

Hello,
Thanks for the advice. I must admit I had never heard of this type of therapy before. But this might be due to the fact I didn't realise that there was any real help for people in my situation. It's comforting to be proved wrong. I am not scared of hard work at all so it sounds like a reasonable option. My only worry, as you might have already read, is that I am applying for university this year and that is far more important to me than my health (although some part of me knows it shouldn't be it is) but this is my only concern about getting help that involved being admitted somewhere for long periods of time but this sounds more felixible. Of course I may be wrong, you know best .I have booked an appointment with the dr for another medical problem and I fully intend to bring it up with him and I hope this will lead to some form of counselling .
Thank you x

graelwyn

I can relate. I swung from anorexia to binge eating my way back to health, back to anorexia, intermingled with bulimia through the years. I am currently struggling in a major way with the impulse to binge once a week, usually on over 5000 calories of sugar laden food such as cookies, cheesecake, doughnuts, chocolate and danish pastries. I purge also, which makes it that much more unhealthy. It is so very hard to get a grip on, and it seems that even if you know factually all the solutions and tactics to change it, actually putting it into practise is ridiculously difficult.

I can give the best advice to others about their binge issues, but when it comes to myself, once that urge/impulse strikes, nothing seems to prevent it, not even having my usual healthy foods. I am currently just trying to keep it to one day a week, and having it as a cheat day, and doing my best to keep my other days as clean and healthy as possible. I also exercise 6 days a week, which helps to curb my tendency to binge... I find when I do not work out as hard, or have a rest day, I am far more prone to crave the binge foods. Also, a lack of sleep can influence things quite negatively, I have found.

I totally empathise. Even if it is a planned binge, it still feels horrible and out of control. I hope you find a solution, and echo the suggestion of seeking some sort of therapy, or at least doing some research online and using the information available there to come up with your own plan/tactics for getting this under control. Until then, try to be gentle on yourself (hard, I know, we are often our own harshest critics) and feel free to add me for support.

Same goes for anyone else with binge eating/bulimia tendencies. The more support and encouragement, the better.

Cathy_Daydreams

I can relate. I swung from anorexia to binge eating my way back to health, back to anorexia, intermingled with bulimia through the years. I am currently struggling in a major way with the impulse to binge once a week, usually on over 5000 calories of sugar laden food such as cookies, cheesecake, doughnuts, chocolate and danish pastries. I purge also, which makes it that much more unhealthy. It is so very hard to get a grip on, and it seems that even if you know factually all the solutions and tactics to change it, actually putting it into practise is ridiculously difficult.

I can give the best advice to others about their binge issues, but when it comes to myself, once that urge/impulse strikes, nothing seems to prevent it, not even having my usual healthy foods. I am currently just trying to keep it to one day a week, and having it as a cheat day, and doing my best to keep my other days as clean and healthy as possible. I also exercise 6 days a week, which helps to curb my tendency to binge... I find when I do not work out as hard, or have a rest day, I am far more prone to crave the binge foods. Also, a lack of sleep can influence things quite negatively, I have found.

I totally empathise. Even if it is a planned binge, it still feels horrible and out of control. I hope you find a solution, and echo the suggestion of seeking some sort of therapy, or at least doing some research online and using the information available there to come up with your own plan/tactics for getting this under control. Until then, try to be gentle on yourself (hard, I know, we are often our own harshest critics) and feel free to add me for support.

Same goes for anyone else with binge eating/bulimia tendencies. The more support and encouragement, the better.

Thank you,
First of all, best of luck in combating all the ED's ... I'm always here should you need support and I can relate completely to the losing control stuff. So many people ask me what my 'trigger food' is and if I have one I don't have a clue what it is because I will eat anything in the house, healthy or otherwise when on a binge.
The worst thing about binging, for me personally, is because I recognise now that it's purely emotional, so there's no routine to it which makes it harder to control when it does strike because it often catches me off guard . I try to work out but I find it hard to actually 'work out' I will walk and go to sports classes but I don't 'work out' as such. Which annoys me a lot.
Thanks once again

mrskatiepowell

I completely believe in BED.
Things that trigger my binges are crisps, biscuits, pizza and ice cream. Basically things that come in large portions.
Once I start on these foods, I don't stop until they are gone. Then I feel sick, miserable and ashamed.
My only way to avoid these is to not have these foods in the house, then if I go into a feeding frenzy the worst I can get my hands on is a BabyBel light and some Ryvita.

Keep smiling x

Crystaleyed

Thank you so much for this post it has really helped me have the confidence to tackle my own eating issues.
I have just been to my GP, which was the scariest thing I have ever done, I was so scared that he would just turn around and tell me to go on a diet, like everyone else, but he's given me a number to call so I can get some help and I cannot be happier. Knowing that there's a possibility of me fighting the binge for good is an amazing feeling and without reading this post and all the encouragement, I wouldn't have had the confidence to even tell my GP, I still haven't told my dad yet and very few people know but I hope that now I have someone to help that in the future I will become a little more open about it all.
So yeah ... thanks all of you for helping me through this .

lilah808

I'm so impressed by the intimate sharing and compassion on this thread. How nice. :flowerforyou:

To the sweet OP: I too have had this problem and I still have to manage it almost daily.

My story:
I was so unhappy, and used food to temporarily bury and numb my sorrows. Obsession with my weight and food SEEMED like it was my main problem, however it was only the SYMPTOM of deeper problems. Until I began really examining myself on the "inside" (dealing with my emotions, my past, my childhood, bad decisions I made in life), I continued abusing my body with food. And in the process of actually STOPPING the "food abuse", I learned what it actually felt like to feel. It was SCARY! Sometimes I felt like I was going to literally go insane, because I had used food my whole life to temporarily numb my negative emotions, and not eating to fill that empty sad place, I had to feel what it felt like to feel empty and sad. Whew! Not easy! But you know what? It gets easier, I promise. It's a journey, but you're young and you're starting to face this now. I didn't begin until I was in my 30's. I know you can do it. It takes commitment to yourself. It takes wanting to make a change. It takes courage in facing your past, your emotions, choices you've made, bad things that may have happened to you, but with a support group or friends that care, a good therapist, or some good books, I know you can begin to feel what it's like to be self-loving instead of self-loathing. Stuffing food down your throat when you aren't hungry is self-loathing. I know. :brokenheart:

Hugs to you.

lilah808

Just wanted to say that this is such a lovely, gentle, caring thread... and Cathy, it's hard to believe you're just a teenager, you have a lovely manner - so respectful of others, and so responsive and appreciative of the heartfelt posts from other members. I say this just in case you don't realize that you have a wonderful personality.

I whole heartedly agree! :-) This thread is wonderful and so are you, Cathy. :flowerforyou:

tonilizzy88

I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV.
However, I did spend over a decade as actively bulimic. Being a guy and not a wrestler, there was really nothing in the so-called "professional" field for me.
I have to admit I laughed when a dental hygienist assumed the enamel wear on my teeth was from Acid reflux.
For me, it was also a case of "changing seats on the Titanic." I replaced binge drinking with binge eating but then purging to avoid the consequences of eating the way I was.
Turns out I am carb sensitive. You may find that when you get into a binge that there are a lot of carb heavy foods involved.
I finally started getting a handle on thing last year after gaining 130 pounds over a 22 year period. It was rather shocking to realize I weighed more than my wife and I did combined when we first met.
It took about 3 weeks to get over carb cravings. But now I don't miss them.
I started using a scale to weigh out food portions too. That helps keeps my eyes or stomach from overriding my brain.
Shrinks love to blame everything on a chemical imbalance. But that is not the case for everyone. Food allergies can cause problem that go away once that food is eliminated.
Check out OA too. That may help you find people nearby with the same issues as well.

i was thinking this last night. every time i become stressed about som,ething or a big event is coming up i EAT EAT EAT carbs and fats like there going out of fashion, and tomake it worse im not even hungry. i then sometimes cry after it. i feel like a failiour evry time i do it, sometimes it can last for 3-4 days.im to emmbaressed to talk toanyone about it, even my boyfriend asked me why im eating so much, he blamed it on TOM.
i shall add u as a friend and we can support each other x

nadsazombie

Been there for sure!
I over ate at every meal it seemed like.
Binging was just the way I ate, and I never knew when to stop
But for me when I decided to change it was hard and turned into, mind over matter.

The first step was acknowledging I have a problem with food.
Everyday still remains to be a challenge, and then I found this site and it has become a lot easier.

Hope things get easier for you as well!

kaseysospacey

Just want to throw this in-
I've lessened the carbs I've been eating. Not fruit carbs (I really couldn't care less about carbs/sugar in fruit. If I'm going to get fat from fruit, so be it.) but bread, crackers, cereal. I used to eat cereal all the time, sandwiches, etc. Cookies and crackers. These were the same foods I would binge on. If I avoid them, I don't have as much of a problem with them. But if I made cookies for the family and had one, I just eat them...until they are gone. But if they aren't here, I don't miss them.

Now, a couple of times I have had binge issues even on mfp. And I've looked and realized they were all when I had a very carb-heavy food that I normally avoid on my "diet". I don't know what it is, but it is almost as though I can't physically stop myself. I feel like a zombie, stuffing my face with pizza until I puke.

Maybe you could use mfp to help you realize triggers. The combination of seeing someone to help you through the emotional causes for BED and avoiding your food triggers may work really well.

bekkaL85

Ok OP, here is what you do.

Make the appointment. Take a friend that either believes you or that you trust. Every time I go to the doc for my BP I take my sister - in- law. I've known here since I was 13 and she was 12. Support at the actual office helps more than you think.

If you DON'T want to solve this by meds right away, TELL HIM! He is your doctor...not your king. Discuss alternatives....and if you are still uncomfortable around him, get a different doctor. One who won't automatically go for drugs and will listen to what you have to say. There is no law saying that you have to keep the same doctor until you die.

I admit, I haven't read every single reply, because the one's that I did upset me. People blame carbs for everything it seems. If the no carb diet works for you I'm very happy for you. It doesn't work for me. And I don't binge on carb heavy food every single time. I binge on food that is high in fat if you want to know the truth. It's my weakness and sometimes my body overrides my head and I eat WAY to much of it. But I don't blame it for binging. I try to learn from it.

Crystaleyed

Ok OP, here is what you do.

Make the appointment. Take a friend that either believes you or that you trust. Every time I go to the doc for my BP I take my sister - in- law. I've known here since I was 13 and she was 12. Support at the actual office helps more than you think.

If you DON'T want to solve this by meds right away, TELL HIM! He is your doctor...not your king. Discuss alternatives....and if you are still uncomfortable around him, get a different doctor. One who won't automatically go for drugs and will listen to what you have to say. There is no law saying that you have to keep the same doctor until you die.

I admit, I haven't read every single reply, because the one's that I did upset me. People blame carbs for everything it seems. If the no carb diet works for you I'm very happy for you. It doesn't work for me. And I don't binge on carb heavy food every single time. I binge on food that is high in fat if you want to know the truth. It's my weakness and sometimes my body overrides my head and I eat WAY to much of it. But I don't blame it for binging. I try to learn from it.

Thanks for replying,
As I have mentioned before my general anxiety around my various GP's was from a number of GP's at the practice who kept trying to stuff drugs down my throat (not literally, but anyway you get what I mean) and although I now have a doctor who really cares about me and isn't trying to do that I still have the nervous disposition so to speak, even if I know that I shouldn't I still have that anxiety that they won't help me.
At the moment I don't know what my triggers are because it seems when I binge I grab anything I can eat, anything I can afford really, there seems to be no pattern at all but perhaps with MFP and some additional support I can make more sense of it.