Binge Eating Disorder

Woodsmoke wrote: »

I've not been diagnosed, but it's obvious that I have a serious issue with overeating, beyond the normal issues that a diet can solve.

I can't stop snacking or eating huge portions. I can eat healthy for like a day or so but end up just sinking into old habits. It's related to depression and I've been to the doctor but they've not helped, wont send me to get any particular help for this issue.

Any serious binge eaters who have tips for this? It's embarrassing to write this but I need advice from those who've actually EXPERIENCED this.

Can you see a different doctor who will take your concerns more seriously? Or explicitly ask your current doctor for a referral to a therapist who deals with eating disorders?

In the meantime, look for books that deal with binge eating disorder that have a lot of positive reviews. I've heard good things about Brain Over Binge but I have not read it personally. There are also workbooks that help you walk yourself through exercises that increase awareness of the thought patterns and triggers that contribute to binge eating.

I've struggled for a long time with binge eating disorder. I completely and totally understand how hard it is to overcome. Here are a few things that really helped me:

1. NEVER keep the bad stuff in the house. No chips, cookies, cakes, etc. None of it. If you want a bad-for-you-snack, you have to leave the house and go get it. Also, never grocery shop on an empty stomach. When you're full, it's much easier to shop for healthy foods. Your hungry stomach will lie to you and convince you that you can be responsible with chips and cookies in the house, when you know that that's too difficult for you right now.

2. Instead of restricting your diet -- add to it. Add tons of healthy fruits and veggies. So no foods are off limits -- but you are required to eat a cup of broccoli and a cup of cauliflower and a cup of berries every day. If you find these intakes easy, add more healthy options -- spinach, oranges, tomatoes, etc. Making sure that your diet is nutritiously varied and rich will go a long way to cutting down on urges to binge -- and making sure you have a little something in your stomach all the time will also be a big help.

3. When you want to give in to a binge, do this: first, fill a big glass (16 oz) with cold water and drink it all. Then, set a timer for ten minutes. Do anything else during those ten minutes -- read a book, take a short walk, watch some TV, call a friend, whatever. When the ten minutes is up, see if you can resist the binge. If you're feeling strong, good for you! Reward yourself in some non-food way.

4. Find non-food rewards/comforts. For me, my family has always treated food as a celebration and a comfort, starting when I was a little kid. So when I developed depression, my go-to for comfort was lots of really unhealthy foods. You have to rewire your brain to associate non-food things with comfort and fun. I really love reading and crafting, so now my go-to reward/comfort is to get myself a new book or some art supply I've been wanting.

5. When you do binge, see it as a mistake, accept the mistake, and move forward. You fell down, but you can get back up and keep moving forward. Falling down slows your progress, but as long as you keep getting back up and keep moving forward, you will continue to make progress. And the more you work at it, the less you will fall down.

I hope that helps. I understand how incredibly difficult this is. Good luck on your journey!

@thewildair - thanks for the tips you gave to @Woodsmoke above; I printed them out and will keep them with me as a reminder for the times when I feel out of control. THIS is exactly why I joined this group.....the ideas and suggestions of others along with the support of people who understand the struggle.

The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) 5, is the 5th version of this book, it is how mental illnesses get classified so that psychologists can properly diagnose and treat mental illness. The DSM 5 states :

The key diagnostic features of BED are:
Recurrent and persistent episodes of binge eating
Binge eating episodes are associated with three (or more) of the following:
Eating much more rapidly than normal
Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
Eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry
Eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much one is eating
Feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty after overeating
Marked distress regarding binge eating
Absence of regular compensatory behaviors (such as purging).
BED is the most common eating disorder in the United States. In adults it affects 3.5% of women and 2% of men and up to 1.6% of adolescents [1]. In women it is most common in early adulthood but more common in men at midlife. BED seems to affect blacks and whites equally. Comorbid problems are both physical and psychiatric. Although most people with obesity don’t have BED, up to 2/3 of people with BED are obese and can have the medical difficulties associated with this condition. Compared with normal weight or obese control groups, people with BED have higher levels of anxiety and both current and lifetime major depression.
Effective evidence-based treatments are available for BED. These include specific forms of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT). Some types of medication can be helpful in reducing binge eating. These include certain antidepressants (such as SSRIs) and certain anticonvulsants (such as topiramate, which can also reduce body weight).

So how does one "start" Binge Eating, it can be brought on by a number of different factors, mine began from a combination of heavy stress, depression, undiagnosed ADHD and OCD mixed with anxiety. I would develop these urges, and the only thing I could relate it to was when I was a heavy smoker I would get an "urge" to have a cigarette and the "urge" would go away after having one. It was this feeling in the back of my throat it would become stronger and stronger until I became powerless and it took over. There would be times where the urge would not be there and I would eat healthy and workout, but once things really got bad the urge to binge was an everyday thing, I would buy bags of candy and in the 2 minute drive from the store to my house I would eat the whole thing, I would eat in secret shame and lie about it to everyone. I would take my kids candy or chips, or whatever else I happened to binge on the night before and lie to them about what happened to it, I would lie to my wife about what I ate, I would start a diet and cheat on the diet but lie to everyone about it. This cycle went on for about 3 years, I gained a lot of weight, I was sad and depressed and honestly could not figure out what was wrong, I was out of control, and powerless to stop these binges. I had never heard of Binge Eating, and as a man typically we do not discuss eating or mental illness for it is a sign of weakness. But I finally got help because I knew something was not right and I was in such a bad place I knew I needed to talk to a professional. Which was the best thing I have ever done, because it gave me hope, because I finally knew what was wrong with me.
@Woodsmoke you are not alone, there are many other people going through the same thing you are, some are diagnosed, others are not, but either way there is support and answers out there. That is why I started the Binge Eating Group so people have a place to go for information and support and to ask questions, and talk to people going through similar things.

@gbread2u0169 I'm so glad I could help -- good luck to you!

@aqsylvester yes, I agree! Figuring out 'trigger foods' and avoiding them is a huge help.

I ate 5,300 calories yesterday and never before have I eaten that much. I don't even know what to do.

sarsather wrote: »

I ate 5,300 calories yesterday and never before have I eaten that much. I don't even know what to do.

I stole this quote off Tumblr, but maybe you will find it helpful: "Today’s mental health reminder: a relapse, a sudden series of attacks, a string of awful days, (or whatever your step back may be) does not decrease your value. Take your time, do some self care, reflect on the progress that you have made. You are strong; one step back is nothing when you look at the journey you have already made."

Have you tried planning your days' meals out in advance? It helps me to have a plan to stick to. I will sometimes skip ahead to tomorrow (or even several days) in my food diary and fill out all my meals and snacks ahead of time. And then prepare them ahead of time too. Some people like to pick one day, like Sunday, where they do their meal prep for the whole week. Like cook a big batch of rice and chicken and veggies and portion it out into individual servings. You can freeze some and keep others in the fridge, depending on how fast you plan to go through them. Having healthy, thought-out options readily available is a good way to curb binge impulses.