Anyone who has overcome binge eating? Please help. Desperate

Anyaaaa11
Anyaaaa11 Posts: 242 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I'm just not coming down off of a 3 day binge. I just would like some advice/insight. I know many people struggle with binge eating but I'm 100% committed to stop this nonsense.. But I don't know where to start.

I'm aware that I have a problem with food. I eat out of habit, otherwise I am rarely hungry and wouldn't eat. I eat foods past when I'm full (trying to work on intuitive eating). My biggest trigger is because of being deprived. For some reason, I find it pleasing to rebel against myself. It's almost like I try to stop myself but then "allow" myself to binge, knowing I will feel like crap afterwards.

I know that the only way I'll be able to maintain my weight loss is to ditch this binge eating. If it helps, I've been binge eating for a year tops. My whole family binges but is relatively thin. You see where I picked up the habit? Nonetheless, I need some help. I don't have anyone to talk to & can't afford a therapist.

What can I do? Have any of you recovered or healed yourself from your binge eating? I'm so desperate. It has gotten to the point where I wish I didn't ever have to eat because I'm so afraid of binging.

Replies

  • moopity
    moopity Posts: 54 Member
    Sounds like you are really suffering -- and that you're ready to heal the bingeing. It definitely comes from a place deep inside you, and this is where therapy can really help. I know you said you cannot afford it, but there are many therapists out there who would rather work on a sliding scale and get paid a fraction of what they normally earn in order to help someone who is ready to do the work. Also, there are many low cost therapy clinics out there. In order for a therapist to become an actual therapist, depending on where you live, the state demands they earn several thousand hours as an intern, which means you can pay around $20 bucks for a session (or more depending on the clinic). You can Google "low cost therapy" with your city or state. Play around with the search terms, and you will find something.

    Also, Overeaters Anonymous could be a great help. There would be many others who are also struggling with binge eating in the rooms.

    Also look into psychoanalytic training centers. You could become a "control case." Control cases are when the client (you) would get a deeply discounted rate in exchange for the therapist getting to use your ANONYMOUS case to get her doctorate. It's a really incredible thing to do. I have several friends who have been control cases at psychoanalytic institutes, and in one case, it saved the person's life, and in another, it made her life 1000% better because she came to understand herself and the reasons behind her self-destructive behavior. If you're interested, again Google psychoanalytic institutes and call them and ask whether they take clients for control cases or if they have a program for sliding fee/low-cost clients.

    Hope you consider giving one or all of these things a try. You aren't alone in this, but you might not really know that that until you reach out and find one-on-one support.
  • Anyaaaa11
    Anyaaaa11 Posts: 242 Member
    Thank you so much! I'll have to look into those options.
  • ehalps26
    ehalps26 Posts: 25 Member
    hi. by just being here and logging you are already winning. i have had the same exact issues. it haunts me. my cure is to log. if i log, i know what im taking in and dont want to ruin the whole day by going nuts on something. when i don't log, i binge and its a horrible thing. i hope this helps
  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    I have struggled with binge eating disorder for the last three years, but right now I'm 32 days binge free. It has been hard but a few things that helped me a lot were finding someone to confide in, writing in a journal, and making a plan for the event that I feel like bingeing - I actually made myself a little box with a bunch of notes written out like "paint your nails" or "go on a walk" just to remind myself that I have options. I've also changed some of my habits. I drink tea or Powerade Zero almost every night if I feel like bingeing, just to give me a cushion of an extra 10-15 minutes to think about whether or not I really want to do it. I also have started going to bed sooner since I always used to binge at night. I know how difficult a cycle it is to break, so please message me if you need any support. I understand what you're struggling with but know that you CAN overcome it.
  • listlife
    listlife Posts: 30
    I'm a member of the "Binge-Eating Support Group" group on here and it's helpful when I'm feeling low. Remember to not beat yourself up! i noticed I started binging less when I stopped beating myself up after a binge. Just by saying "Ok, this happened. Tomorrow's a new day and i'm going to work hard tomorrow. I'm bigger than this." is incredibly helpful for me.
  • xMonroeMisfit
    xMonroeMisfit Posts: 411 Member
    Are you eating enough protein and fiber? are you being too restrictive? are you eating too little?
  • IrinaPhoenix
    IrinaPhoenix Posts: 7
    I know a friend who has had DECADES of success through Compulsive Eaters Anonymous. I've been to a few meetings, and they're pretty great, actually. The main thing is the weigh and measure ALL of their food, and completely cut out sugar and flour of any kind - which is what leads to not only a lot of weight gain, but the vast majority of cravings. They also emphasize having enough protein at every meal (3 a day - period.) to curb the cravings, but enough vegetables to fill you up. You're not really eating less, but eating the right things. If you feel like it's a true desperation, this plan will definitely help you (inside-and-out) if you give it the chance. I've seen men and women whose lives have been changed forever.
  • Flass
    Flass Posts: 60 Member
    A couple of strategies I've been given by a psychologist:

    1. when you start your binge, eat really slowly and savour every mouthful. Take tiny tiny bites and be really aware of how it smells, looks, tastes, and feels. Concentrate on the feeling of it in your mouth and going down your throat. This works for me because my binging is mindless - I try to get it down quick as I can. Almost before my brain has time to realise what I'm doing! So slowing down and really enjoying what you're eating may cause you to eat a more healthy portion of it.

    2. The chemical in the brain that creates that craving feeling will usually only be released for about a 30-35 min window. So once you feel a craving coming on, distract yourself by doing something else (have a bath, straighten your hair, do the dishes, clean out your handbag etc) and by the time you're done the craving may well have passed! The more you get through cravings the less intense they'll become.

    And know that you're SO not alone. Hope that helps! Good luck :)
  • thinnnnnnner
    thinnnnnnner Posts: 89
    I know I didn't post this topic, but I just want to say thank you to everyone who replied because your answers have helped so much.

    I'm on day one of being binge free again and as we all know this is the hardest day. I'm online to distract myself and though most of the strategies mentioned I already had heard, it's so nice to have them brought to your attention again. Just a nice reminder that if other people are having success against the binge I can too. :)

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