Binge Eating - How do you stop yourself?

I was a binge eater in my teens. Obsessed with every little piece of food that went into my mouth. Looking back now I realize I had an all or nothing kind of attitude when it came to diet, meaning I either executed my diet perfectly or binged. Once I had my own kitchen and had full control over what came into it, it made such a difference. If you know cookies, ice cream or even bread tempt you to binge, don't have those things in the house. If I get to a point where I want a doughnut or an ice cream as a treat I'll go out and buy a single serving to enjoy, but I know for me, I can't have those things in the house. Also, just staying busy helps. I was pretty seditary when I was younger, but little by little finding things that I enjoyed that involved being active and busy has really helped me not to be so obsessed with food.

I am a rock bottom severe case. For me binge eating is only ever under control when I have clear boundaries and I accept the absolute need to respect those boundaries. Every time I think I have it under control and I relax my boundaries, sooner or later all hell breaks loose and I find myself wishing I was dead because I am so out of control and have done so much damage.

Food is really tricky because unlike alcohol and narcotics you can not just cut it out of your life. Even if decide to cut certain foods or types of foods out of life it is very hard to stick to it because society in general understands an alcoholic not drinking alcohol and understands a Heroin junkie not taking drugs anymore. Society in general has very much less sympathy, understanding and support for food junkies who choose not to eat cake, ice cream, bread etc. For those of us who know all too clearly that we are food junkies the path to recovery is very much more complex and unsupported than for other addicts. Your "friends" and family will actively push cake at you and call you neurotic no matter how much you explain and plead for support and understanding. No one would tell an alcoholic not to be so daft and just have a drink.

Keeping that in mind a rock bottom binge eating food junkie like myself has to be totally reliant on self for accountability. A great deal of honesty with self is needed. Some foods for me are poison, they warp my thinking and eventually lead to suicidal inclinations. Other people may be able to safely eat them but I know I can not. I have to be honest with myself about that and then act responsibly by not eating those things ever the same as I would not eat nuts if had an allergy. My food allergy may not result in immediate anaphylactic shock and death but without fail it has lead me to misery and wishing I was dead. It will kill me if I keep eating foods that poison my body and mind, it is just a slower death than a nut allergy. Some foods I know I can never have safely at all. Some foods I can have but only occasionally and only when out, only when emotionally stable (never in the home). Some foods I can have in home but I need to accurately portion control them to avoid deceiving myself. Some foods I can have in home but can only consume in company.

It also helps me within home to have a menu I created of meals that work for me and to pick things of that menu. The less thinking I do about food the better. Put some thought and effort in to setting up workable long term boundaries and it makes day to day life much easier.
Accountability to myself leaves no one to rebel against and no one to blame for not saving me. Self accountability empowers me to get on with saving myself. My heart is then free to be more available to others instead of being busy being disappointed by unfulfilled expectations of what I want others to do for me. I am my saviour. Anyone else's contribution to my well being is bonus material.

Below is how I understand my issues with food. I am not saying this applies to everyone.
Food addiction
For me Flour, Sugar over processed and unmeasured food is a drug.
What is a food addict?

With alcohol you can be
A normal drinker: Occasional drinker, or light drinker even an occasional binge drinker but still not have a problem with alcohol.
A problem drinker: Heavy drinker or someone who occasional binge drinks and it cause them problems.
In all of those situations it remains possible to remain or become with enough support and effort a moderate drinker.
An Alcoholic: When a major addiction has been formed, alcohol has been abused to such an extent and caused such damage on multiple levels that it is no longer possible to engage with it safely ever again for life.

Food addiction is the same
With food you can be
A normal eater: Balanced eater, someone who may sometimes overeat or under eat but it is not a big deal.
A problem eater: Someone who over or under eats enough that it causes problems such as weight issues, physical issues, some eating disorders. In all of those situations it remains possible to remain or become with enough support and effort a balanced eater.
A food addict: When a major addiction has been formed, disordered eating behaviour and certain food types have been abused to such an extent and caused such damage on multiple levels that it is no longer possible to engage with disordered eating behaviour and certain food types ever again for life.

Modern processed foods are disordered ways of eating for humans especially if not contained within boundaries. For those with food addiction it is only safe to engage with foods in most balanced and natural states and with very firm boundaries in place.

Save your calories for the good stuff. Sometimes things look sooo much more enticing than they actually taste. Once I was in a store and kept looking at these heart shaped frosted cookies. As I was paying for my other purchases I said to the clerk offhand, "I really want that cookie." She said, "You know what, they actually aren't that good. They taste kind of cardboard-y." I think of that moment sometimes. Especially when I see something I suddenly want, only because it was in my line of sight. And I think of that clerk making that comment. And I tell myself it's probably not nearly as good as it looks.

Thank you. This sounds like something I could do.

The only thing it really took for me was accurately logging a few binges. Being able to see how much I was eating really put it into perspective.

I'll still overeat but I log it and it doesn't get out of control.