counselling - binge eating

jane987
jane987 Posts: 36 Member
in Food and Nutrition
HI
I've been on and off binge eating for a few years now.
The last 3 days I've eaten so much I've made myself feel sick.
i don't know what to do anymore - i don't seem to have control.
I am thinking about going to talk to somebody - counsellor etc. How do I go about it - do I simply google search? Does anybody know a good counsellor in Melbourne, Aus?
Any advice is welcome, thanks

Replies

  • aalpass
    aalpass Posts: 124 Member
    Hi Jane! I'm in melbourne too and know too how you feel! Yet to find a solution thats not just working my *kitten* off at the gym for several days to beat the binge the day before.

    Interested to see the responses :)

    Good luck!
    Anna
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Can't advise on the right person for you but certainly counselling/therapy is a smart move if you find you're binge eating. Good luck. :)
  • Jourdan_Rystrom
    Jourdan_Rystrom Posts: 176 Member
    i used to be a terrible binge eater as well...read my story here and hopefully it will help you a little :)

    www.firmbodyevolution.blogspot.com
  • maeveslim
    maeveslim Posts: 69 Member
    Hi I am a counsellor in the UK and I am not sure of the procedure in Australia but in the UK I would recommend going to talk to your doctor and he would refer you to a specialist counsellor. In general to beat binge eating you might need to try and understand what triggers your binges. For some it is feeling emotionally a certain way e.g. unhappy, stressed, isolated, angry, rejected etc. If it is something like this and you use food to change the way you feel then eventually, possibly through counselling, you would would learn an alternative way to cope with your emotions than using food. Certain counselling methods would recommend alternative coping strategies or it may be that learning to share with others how you feel may be sufficient. Hope this is helpful.
  • jane987
    jane987 Posts: 36 Member
    THanks! Good idea to ask my doctor - it's just something I feel a bit embarrassed about and you would't know I'm a binge eater from looking at me (I'm not really overweight) and I keep it well hidden. Might need to just do it though!!
  • NocturnalGirl
    NocturnalGirl Posts: 1,762
    Getting professional help is definitely something to consider. You can ask your doctor to direct you to a therapist or counsellor if you can't find anything through google search. I'm not sure how old you are but you could see a school counsellor if you are at school.
    Besides seeing a professional, do you know what is the cause behind your binges? Do you binge when you are upset, bored, stressed, etc? Do you restrict your diet too much (i.e. eliminate foods you enjoy and/or eat low calories)? Do you make up for your binging through additional exercise or by lowering your calories? Sorry for all the questions, you don't have to actually answer them but these are things you might want to think about.
    Good luck! :)
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Best thing to do would be to get a diagnosis and referral from your doctor.
  • fullofhope76
    fullofhope76 Posts: 92
    I have been reading a blog called Runs for Cookies. She is a binge eater too. She may have some stories that will help you. Good luck!
  • luvmydog2
    luvmydog2 Posts: 243 Member
    Hi I am a counsellor in the UK and I am not sure of the procedure in Australia but in the UK I would recommend going to talk to your doctor and he would refer you to a specialist counsellor. In general to beat binge eating you might need to try and understand what triggers your binges. For some it is feeling emotionally a certain way e.g. unhappy, stressed, isolated, angry, rejected etc. If it is something like this and you use food to change the way you feel then eventually, possibly through counselling, you would would learn an alternative way to cope with your emotions than using food. Certain counselling methods would recommend alternative coping strategies or it may be that learning to share with others how you feel may be sufficient. Hope this is helpful.

    Yes that's the way its done here in Australia ...been to one myself ....for emotional eating .
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Personally, I have a history of binging as well, especially when trying to eat "well". I went back and examined my calories when I binged (I wasn't tracking, but I estimated by what I typically ate). On weekdays I would do pretty good and not binge; I was eating about 1000-1200 calories on those days. On weekends, I'd constantly crave food, and I'd eat all day, probably consuming 3000-4000 calories if not more. I've abandoned the low cal diet (even MFP recommends 1550 for me), and I've started using the in place of a road map method.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Since upping my calories, I haven't gone on a binge. I thought I was eating out of boredom or emotional eating, and it might be partially true, but it hasn't happened since. It makes me wonder if it truly was emotions or if my body was just trying to tell me to eat more.

    As for the how to find a specialist, I'd agree that maybe you should talk to your doctor and see if they know of someone.
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    I'm an emotional binge eater and it took me a long time to get into therapy, but it has definitely helped. I'm in Canada and here it's a bit different because doctors only refer to psychologists. (Perhaps they refer to other types of therapists, but mine wouldn't.) I guess my only suggestion is to be persistent. If you're not referred to the right type of therapist, then get a referral to someone else. And if you don't like the therapist, then that's ok too. Keep trying until you find someone with whom you are comfortable. When I first asked my doctor for a referral, I explained to her that I feel like i binge eat for emotional reasons and I was having trouble sleeping. Her response was to: a) just stop eating cookies; b) do some yoga. Well-meaning, but not the most helpful suggestions! I ended up seeking help at the counseling centre where I was a student. I spoke with someone there who was then able to refer me to another professional closer to my home. So, just be persistent! It's worth it in the end.
  • kittycatkay
    kittycatkay Posts: 54 Member
    green tea fat burner, take it when you feel a binge coming on. http://www.evitamins.com/green-tea-fat-burner-applied-nutrition-4980?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=google+shopping&gclid=CPTqvrDGn7QCFQJx4AodFngADA works like MAGIC!

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