New to this, but an MFP veteran. Currently dealing with binge eating and I need support and friends.

Welcome! Acknowledging your struggles and committing to dealing with it is the first step. LOVE yourself and respect your body. You deserve to feel beautiful, fit, and healthy... remind yourself that changing your eating habits will be worth it. Find other comforting activities to help you deal with stress, ideally ones that keep your hands busy e.g. coloring in, cross-stitch, or crochet. If you feel an urge to binge, try chewing gum instead. Or, snack on something that won't be too damaging to your weight if you eat a lot of it (such as peas or unsalted nuts). Drink a substantial amount of water to help you feel full.

And remember... you can't change overnight. Take steps to becoming the you that you want to be, and never give up even if you make a mistake. Just start again and keep going, and I know you will be able to reach your goal!

I just want to preface this by saying I'm not preaching keto, or trying to tell you that you should do keto. I'm just sharing my own journey in hopes that something in it will help you. I'm 49 and I've been a binge eater since I was 11. I was also diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at age 38. I've gained and lost the same 40 pounds at least half a dozen times in my life. I've tried everything from Weight Watchers to Atkins to Slim Fast and everything in between. At the end of last year, I was at rock bottom. I couldn't stop. I was spiraling out of control and I was scared...really scared for the first time that I was going to die if I didn't do something. I was up to nearly 240 lb and my fasting blood glucose was dangerously high (267). And still I couldn't stop. I'd been off the rails all year, but from October right through New Year's, I was a total dumpster fire. I ate fast food at least 5 times a week, boxes of chocolates, Christmas treats, anything I could get my hands on. I knew I had to change my life or I wouldn't live another year.

I started keto the first week of January. And when I cut out the sugar and the grains, the carbs I was addicted to, something happened. Like turning off a light switch. That constant gnawing need to eat and eat and eat was gone. It's the carbs that keep us addicted. And once you cut out the white sugar, the bread, it's like a whole new way of life. I weighed 200 lb this morning. Soon I'll be under 200 for the first time in four years. My fasting blood glucose was 98. I have more energy and I even sleep better and best of all, I'm finally, finally free of that monster inside me that made me crave food all the time. I don't ever feel hungry, I don't feel deprived. I don't miss the junk. I eat very well. There are a lot of factors that contribute to food addiction. Diet alone won't address the root causes. All I can say is, this helped me when I didn't think anything could. The foods that we eat, from McDonald's burgers to breakfast cereal to Nutri-Grain bars are all chemically engineered to keep us coming back for more. They're also loaded with sugar. When you try to avoid it, they hide it. The only way to win is to refuse to play the game. Cut the supply off of junk that's designed to act on the pleasure centers in your brain. That's when the fog lifts and you can finally see a way forward.

If you do decide to try it, research it thoroughly and talk to your doctor first. And good luck. I hope you find something that works for you. I know how debilitating this illness is and how little support there is out there. You can do this.