HUGE Binge Episode; Support/Motivation?

wanted to also say that most people who have not been through it or have not been through any form of addiction usually do not understand the power of the binge. most people say "oh just don't do that" or "have some willpower" and it makes it very hard! or they will say "well just have one" when i know i can't! we just have to figure out what works for us individually. some people do great with moderation and it helps them not binge to have these things. but for me it does not usually work that way. i know i have a sugar addiction.

Are you saying that just because I'm not, nor ever have been, a binge eater, I cannot understand the psychological issues behind these behaviors? So, because I'm not an alcoholic or a drug user, but my brothers are, I can't understand what they are going through and have no right to offer them advice, either? I disagree. And for the record, as a teacher, I am required to look at others' situations and, if need be, report on them. I have never been abused, but I am trained to recognize abused children, neglected children, at risk children. It is my legal and moral obligation to do so.

I don't understand the pain of binge eating, but I consider myself competent enough to recognize the signs of someone who needs therapeutic help for their (insert issue here). Unless we openly dialogue with others about our problems, be they personal or second-source problems, NOTHING will change. We are each other's support system, whether we're personally going through it or not. That's how I see it.

I think that all addictions are the same, in the basis of their existence. I believe that we all search for something to take the pain away, and for some addictions/compulsive-anxiety reducing behaviors is what works. Now, that being said, having the same basis does not imply the same experience. Somebody experiencing an addiction to alcohol cannot in any way truly comprehend what it's like, to experience an addiction to food. They can comprehend the overall struggle with addiction, but every maladaptive and destructive coping mechanism (while having the same roots) is still very different.

So, I agree with the original comment, in which you are responding to. I believe that you cannot comprehend the psychological experience, of somebody who is a binge eater, unless you are one. I think that you can read a book or report on binge eating and know the psychological facts, but I do not believe that you can comprehend the experience it's self, without having it.

I STRONGLY disagree with the fact that you feel competent, in determine whether or not somebody needs therapeutic support. While you may be a teacher who is required to report suspected abuse/neglect, you are mandated to report it to somebody who can treat these problems, and you yourself are not required to treat the child. Like you said in your comment, you are trained to recognize the signs, not to give the child your therapeutic opinion, since you are not licensed and trained to do such. Quite frankly, you are not trained in these sorts of things, nor do you have personal experience, so your comments (while appreciated) were quite oppressive in nature.

I am actually a trained volunteer, in dealing with domestic violence and sexual assault situations, as well as a pre-medical psychology major. So, I'm trained to deal with DV/SA situations, and I have a pretty hefty knowledge bank about psychology and medicine. However, when I respond to a hospital for a sexual assault, do you see me offering the nurse advice on how to perform the rape kit while I am holding the survivor's hand? Do you see me attempting to do the nurse's job for her, taking the tools from her hands with the justification of having advocacy training and being a pre-med student? No. That is because, even if I have the correct knowledge, I don't have the proper training or licensing.

Long story short, you are in no position to be advising people, on anything concerning therapy. You can encourage somebody to see a therapist as a suggestion in leading them in the direction of somebody who can help them, but having no experience and no professional training, you have no justification in saying such things. You can see red flags, but you are not justified in determining whether or not somebody needs therapeutic support. Please, stop over-stepping your boundaries and assuming that you know about these things, when it's obvious that you don't (persona, or professionally).

You are not trained to deal with eating disorders, nor are you speaking from personal experience. While your support is much appreciated, like I mentioned above, it's oppressive in nature when people whom have no personal knowledge or experience with eating disorders/their treatment start making these sorts of claims and assumptions.

I never said I was a therapist. Did I say I was? And regardless of your personal opinion/response, I WILL continue to speak my mind and let people know that they could benefit from professional help. So, thank you for your very curt, very opinionated, almost caustic sounding response. But, it won't change MY attitude or MY desire to help others.

Interesting thread, I have often wondered how and why a binge is triggered. I know that in the last year I have been much better equipped to manage them because I have adopted a new frame of mind that allowed me to get rid of most of the sense if guilt and hopelessness following a binge episode.

When it happens I put that in perspective and most importantly of all I journal every single food I eat or drink, it still happens that I give in to sugar cravings and I eat over 5-6000 kcal in a day but it never happens any more that I do it without registering on my journal keeping track of my overall deficit, This helps in two different ways, first and foremost it allows me to "budget" the binge compensating over the next few days or weeks and secondly does prevent me from running to the scale generating further anxiety and possibly a vicious cycle. I actually do not even weigh on the scale any more at fixed intervals but only whenever I hit a fixed energy deficit vs the previous weigh in, generally 30000Kcal. This way it is very unlikely to see irrelevant weight fluctuations and I only use the scale every few weeks.

In your case I understand where you are coming from and it seems to me that you actually have a very good grasp over the problem and its roots, it looks like you are quite mature and I am sure you have it in you the resources to manage it. The only tip I can give is to accept the fact that there will be some days in which you will need to eat more and do it without running to scale right after it. Just take these days as an holiday from your normal regime and journal everything you eat, one or two days at 6000 kcal every few weeks do not make a big difference if you then eat sensibly most of the other days, they can actually even be positive because they release some pressure, just drop the guilt and embrace the progress you have made managing your food habits since you are now in a much better place than you used to be when you grew up with unhealthy habits.