Binge eating disorder help

lunarmotions
lunarmotions Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello folks,
I've usd MFP on and off for about 3 years. I have been through a lot of life changes and have gained 30 pounds since the last time I've been on here. My biggest problem when it comes to food and my weight is binge eating. I know how many calories I should be eating, I know what kind of meals I should be eating, I know what sort of exercises I should be doing, as I've gone through it all before. But I simply cannot do any of it at the moment. All of my attempts have led to failure thus far.

I can't stop eating. I can't stop eating until I feel sick, heavy, sometimes to the point of throwing up. I don't eat because I'm hungry. I don't savor and enjoy my food. I just stuff myself with the heaviest, cheesiest, and oiliest food I can find. I've struggled with binge eating for my entire life, and it has been particularity bad this past year. I've become so unhappy with my body and my lifestyle because of it. I am so tired and so heavy and so un-motivated all of the time.

I know for a fact that it stems from the mental illness I deal with, and that I use it as a coping mechanism. I even sometimes know what triggers them (usually stress or anxiety related), but I can't stop them. I am in total awareness of what I am doing during a binge, but it is almost like an out of body experience as I have absolutely no control over myself. It's like this incredibly powerful force takes over that is stronger than myself. 1 full pizza, 1 box of cookies, and god knows what else later and I am sick and useless for the rest of the day.

I really want to be better to myself, to both my mind and my body. if anyone else struggles with this, let's be friends and help motivate each other! of if anyone has recovered, please share your story/advice/motivation.

TLDR; binge eating disorder has taken over my life, goes hand in hand with feelings of anxiety and depression, I feel out of control and have no idea how to fight it. HELP

Replies

  • Bhlinebee
    Bhlinebee Posts: 71 Member
    Seek therapy; pointless to go through it alone. If the first therapist is not syncing with you drop them and find another. This is your life at stake, not just a weight issue or an anxiety issue. Good luck!
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
    Find a medical professional who specializes in eating disorders.
  • lunarmotions
    lunarmotions Posts: 3 Member
    I've been to many therapists but none of them have ever really taken seriously/focused on my binge eating. I plan on attending an "overeating anonymous" group this Thursday! I'm nervous beyond belief but I hope it will be beneficial!
  • andyluvv
    andyluvv Posts: 281 Member
    There are some useful resources out there for self help too op. You can find them on the binge eating group here on mfp! Best of luck!
  • shadowconn
    shadowconn Posts: 141 Member
    I just want to say that I read this. I empathize, and I truly have no idea what you're going through or what that is even like. I think your support group is a great idea. You may, asa others have said, find an ED counselor because it is an ED, from what I understand. If extreme weightloss is anything to go buy, I would say there are emotional issues you must deal with first before you can lose weight. But that's a guess.
  • buffalobill41
    buffalobill41 Posts: 72 Member
    I can relate, i honestly just had to stop buying a lot of items, if i bought a thing of ice cream, chips or sugary cereal it was gone in a day or so. Get help if you think it's serious but for the short term maybe just stop buying things you shouldn't have so you have to go out for them (I realize this can be tricky but it's easier to exhibit the willpower at the store than at home once you've already bought it).
  • hevans120786
    hevans120786 Posts: 60 Member
    I recommend reading "Brain Over Binge"...by reading this book I have been able to (almost) completely stop my cycles of binging and purging. It is the best book I have ever read on food addiction recovery (and I have read a lot). The author describes her 6 years of binging and purging through obsessive exercise. The author compares food addiction to any other type of addiction. Our "animal brain" is the part of the brain that controls our survival mechanisms. It tells us to breathe and our hearts to beat. It’s also in charge of sending hunger signals when our body needs food. By binging and then over-exercising, we stimulate the part of our to eat when food was available. As we indulge in this behavior, we begin to change the neuropathways of ourbrain and soon a habit forms. We can control the urges from our “animal brain” by using the power of our pre-frontal cortex or “thinking brain”. It’s this part of the brain that separates us from animals, and it is much stronger than our “animal brain”.

    My favorite quote from the book: “I knew my thoughts were not under my control, but my actions were. I found it infinitely more gratifying when I accepted responsibility for my behavior and chose to change it.”

    Still, most days I have the urge to binge, but I make the decision not to. It's not an easy one and it wasn't over night that I learned to say no to these urges, but this book really helped me.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    Hello :)

    Please visit your doctor and get help for this. You don't need to suffer from this anymore. You need to find a healthy relationship with food and for whatever reason, right now you do not have one. I strongly believe you will not lose weight in a healthy manor and rate if you do not make peace with food first of all. There is without a doubt a deep routed reason for this and you need to bring it the surface and leave it behind you. You can achieve absolutely anything - but please address this first and foremost. You'll be so much happier and healthier for it. Wishing you the best of luck.
  • teresadutton
    teresadutton Posts: 217 Member
    yes see your doctor and get help. I just recently started seeking help because I knew I couldn't do this alone (23 yrs proved that to me) I am now seeing a therapist and taking the new binge eating disorder medication, Vyvanse, which has really helped with the impulse control part of it. binge eating is cause by mental stuff a therapist can help you figure out what that mental stuff is and how to better deal with it.
  • amberlyda1
    amberlyda1 Posts: 154 Member
    Therapy would be good. From my experience it was about filling an emotional hole. I had really bad stuff happen in my life this last 2 years. I got depressed and I ate. You get endorphins from eating. I felt "good" when I had my bread and butter. I had self worth problems and I wasn't ready to deal with them so I ate. Now 80 pounds and some blood pressure meds later I'm still trying to take better care of myself.
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
    edited November 2015
    lunarmotions wrote: »
    I've been to many therapists but none of them have ever really taken seriously/focused on my binge eating. I plan on attending an "overeating anonymous" group this Thursday! I'm nervous beyond belief but I hope it will be beneficial!

    I think this is a fantastic move on your part!! I wonder if that feeling of being "sick and heavy" create a distraction from the other issues which are causing you pain. Good luck. You must get mentally healthy first.

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