Can you relate?
ObtainingBalance
Posts: 1,446 Member
On a webpage describing binge eating disorder... they explained some reasoning behind why a person binges:
"binge eating is motivated by a desire to escape from self-awareness. Binge eaters suffer from high standards and expectations, especially an acute sensitivity to the difficult (perceived) demands of others. When they fall short of these standards, they develop an aversive pattern of high self-awareness, characterized by unflattering views of self and concern over how they are perceived by others. These aversive self-perceptions are accompanied by emotional distress, which often includes anxiety and depression. To escape from this unpleasant state, binge eaters attempt the cognitive response of narrowing attention to the immediate stimulus environment and avoiding broadly meaningful thought. This narrowing of attention disengages normal inhibitions against eating and fosters an uncritical acceptance of irrational beliefs and thoughts. The escape model is capable of integrating much of the available evidence about binge eating"
In short: Binge eating as escape from self-awareness. Binges are often triggered by experiences of shame and other negative emotions that people want to escape.
Maybe that explains why sometimes when I have a "bad" day and go over my goal by 400-600 calories.... I will just binge. I freak out and think "screw it". High expectations failed, I just want to binge after that .
Do you agree with the quoting? Maybe we all get a little bit anxious over how others view us, which can make us feel down - then to "escape" from the depressed feelings - we binge? OR - we have harsh expectations for ourselves...and when we don't meet them, we turn to food?
I think knowledge is power... and the more I learn about why I binge eat, the easier it will be for me to stop it.
"binge eating is motivated by a desire to escape from self-awareness. Binge eaters suffer from high standards and expectations, especially an acute sensitivity to the difficult (perceived) demands of others. When they fall short of these standards, they develop an aversive pattern of high self-awareness, characterized by unflattering views of self and concern over how they are perceived by others. These aversive self-perceptions are accompanied by emotional distress, which often includes anxiety and depression. To escape from this unpleasant state, binge eaters attempt the cognitive response of narrowing attention to the immediate stimulus environment and avoiding broadly meaningful thought. This narrowing of attention disengages normal inhibitions against eating and fosters an uncritical acceptance of irrational beliefs and thoughts. The escape model is capable of integrating much of the available evidence about binge eating"
In short: Binge eating as escape from self-awareness. Binges are often triggered by experiences of shame and other negative emotions that people want to escape.
Maybe that explains why sometimes when I have a "bad" day and go over my goal by 400-600 calories.... I will just binge. I freak out and think "screw it". High expectations failed, I just want to binge after that .
Do you agree with the quoting? Maybe we all get a little bit anxious over how others view us, which can make us feel down - then to "escape" from the depressed feelings - we binge? OR - we have harsh expectations for ourselves...and when we don't meet them, we turn to food?
I think knowledge is power... and the more I learn about why I binge eat, the easier it will be for me to stop it.
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I think for myself, personally, it was a combination of this, as well as my having gone below a weight at which my body felt comfortable. I have not really had the binge urge much at all since my weight went up 8Ibs or so, to a bmi of 19 as opposed to 18.1. I do tend to emotionally eat though, the same as I use various other tactics to avoid or respond to emotions because I am just not very good at experiencing and expressing my emotions due to being mildly on the autistic spectrum. I am also obsessive and perfectionist by nature, and, I suppose came to see having my body be a certain weight, as a form of perfection. I also live, currently, and am pretty much stuck, in a city I hate, and in a home that is nor very homely, which also acts as a trigger. When I am away from it, and in London, I tend to not become so self absorbed as there are other things to do and focus on. I do not work, so living in a city that has a distinct lack of culture and things to do, tends to leave my naturally active and creative mind, obsessing over my weight and food instead of healthier outlets.
My current bout was triggered by having a boyfriend who weighed the same as I did for a brief time, due to having a fast metabolism and overdoing his exercise while not eating enough, as I had come to base my sense of feminity and security and worth within a relationship, on my weight and on being lighter than whoever I was with. My ED says that if I eat more than him or weigh close to his weight, or exercise less, I am a failure, and weak and disgusting and then my barriers come up and I do not even wish to let him see me or be near me. Again, my eating issues act as a barrier and an escape from dealing with emotions and closeness. I feel unworthy of love and closeness if I am above a certain weight or size.0 -
This is so me!!!!0
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I am pretty much stuck, in a city I hate, and in a home that is nor very homely, which also acts as a trigger. When I am away from it, and in London, I tend to not become so self absorbed as there are other things to do and focus on. I do not work, so living in a city that has a distinct lack of culture and things to do, tends to leave my naturally active and creative mind, obsessing over my weight and food instead of healthier outlets.
Ah, I agree....sometimes when I have nothing else to occupy my mind with, I turn to weight/food obsessions.My current bout was triggered by having a boyfriend who weighed the same as I did for a brief time, due to having a fast metabolism and overdoing his exercise while not eating enough, as I had come to base my sense of feminity and security and worth within a relationship, on my weight and on being lighter than whoever I was with. My ED says that if I eat more than him or weigh close to his weight, or exercise less, I am a failure, and weak and disgusting and then my barriers come up and I do not even wish to let him see me or be near me. Again, my eating issues act as a barrier and an escape from dealing with emotions and closeness. I feel unworthy of love and closeness if I am above a certain weight or size.
I feel the same way, I have to be below my BF's weight by a lot... right now he is only 8-10 lbs heavier than me, but he is 5'11 while I'm 5'3 .
It's easy to get caught up in being competitive.0
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