To think compulsive over eating is a mental health illness *warning may be sensitive*

[OhFFSWhatsWrongNow]

"All you have to do to lose weight is to eat healthier and exercise more"

Oh really? I had no idea. So all the over eating I have been doing for the last 22 years to comfort me through a very rough childhood can be cured just like that? Wow, thanks, that's very helpful, all my problems are solved then.

No! I'm sorry but this is an extremely ignorant view. Would you say to an anorexic "just eat more food. You'll be fine in no time"? I sincerely hope you wouldn't. So why would you challenge an over eater as to why they don't eat less food?

Don't get me wrong, I understand people must take responsibility for themselves. I'm not denying that. But for people who have had traumatic upbringings or events in their lives and turn to food for comfort, it can feel like they have lost all control over their eating. This is how I feel, and yes, I need help. It's not so easy to ask for it. Being obese is shameful enough without going to someone and admitting it. From the outside looking in, it doesn't seen so bad. But when you're the one asking, it can seem truly daunting, so many people just don't ask for it.

I want to talk about a taboo subject here, and debunk a myth that states all fat people are just lazy slobs who have no self control and just like to eat all day. This is not only judgemental and a disgusting way to think, it's also completely ridiculous. Many larger people have active lives, many of us take part in sports and have normal active lives. Just because we are over weight doesn't mean we lie around all day stuffing our faces. I have 6 children, do you think I have time to sit my arse on my couch all day? And no, my children are not overweight, for those wondering.

The self control issue, however may be correct. Because when you eat until you are so very unhealthy, you have lost control haven't you? If I could just stop over eating I would. Why the hell would I (or anyone) eat so much that they got dangerously overweight on purpose? I don't enjoy it, and don't know many people who do. I'm not saying it's an excuse to be fat, or makes it ok.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that compulsive over eaters have a problem, just like people who starve themselves, or people who have depression(which I also have) and deserve help, sympathy and respect, and not ridicule and being made fun of.

So to all my school bullies, and those "friends" and family members and even judgemental people who think obese people are too lazy to do anything about their weight, trust me, you are just making a mental health problem worse. Unless you have struggled with this problem you will never understand.

Again, maggie, I must assert that BED is not about "excessive snacking".

However, if you did have BED, I congratulate you for your recovery.

I did have it ToysRLuv. I'm also diabetic. So you can imagine that was not a barrel of laughs, I ended up with bleeding retinas, when you are in danger of going blind from overeating you find a way to stop.

That sounds awful. I should hope that you received help and support from your GP, if not an offer of talking therapies.

I count myself lucky I am not a diabetic, as I doubt I would have taken my insulin when I was in the midst of Anorexia.

No help really, just the worst fear I've ever experienced in my life when I suddenly could only see blood in one eye, coupled with the worst guilt ever that I'd fucked myself up. Eye condition stable for now but could come back in the future, even if my diabetes is well controlled, as the damage is kind of done. It shocked me into looking after myself I can tell you, although I've had a couple of lapses in the past few years I am in control of my diabetes most of the time.

There's a whole world of diabetics with eating disorders, they even have their own recognised eating disorder(diabulimia - underinjecting insulin to lose weight )and sadly some can get very, very ill from it and end up permanently disabled. You definitely wouldn't have taken insulin when you had anorexia.

Sadly many medical professionals have only scorn for diabetics who also have eating disorders, as they see them as being wilfully negligent of their health and are termed 'non compliant patients'.

Probably going dreadfully off thread now -but however shit having an eating disorder is, it's exponentially shit with diabetes as well.

That is terrible. You should have received help, at the very least, to try and prevent any future health problems.

Yes, I have heard of diabulimia. It is absolutely disgusting if diabetics with eating disorders are treated in the way you describe.

maggie and ican

Lots of different views on this thread. It's a touchy subject isn't it? Thanks to all the posters who have been supportive. To the very few that think COE can just be cured by controlling what you eat and "snapping" youself out if it, or so to speak, thank you very much for making me loath myself even more airing your view in such a lovely way.

Thanks - I hope you can sort yourself out. What I have basically done is stopped 'dieting' in a depriving myself of food way, a diet is just the flip side to a binge - and just cut out ALL processed foods/sugar/refined carbs. I actually go a bit further and don't eat many carbs at all but for a non diabetic you could probably get away with some low gi/ unprocessed carbs. I try to eat when I'm hungry although I do also eat just because I want to or as a treat, so long as it is not unhealthy, hi-carb food food.
I just don't binge anymore, so whether it's because of low carbs or the fear of getting diabetic complications, who knows, but for me it has been a physiological change rather than psychological. I believe sugar does actually work on the same pathways in the brain as cocaine, and by removing the source of that reward pathway over time the pathway fades.

Anyway as I say just what worked for me but if you are interested in this approach please read anything by Gary Taubes.

YANBU. Good luck in your recovery.

milly this isn't about general over eating it's about compulsive over eating, which is an actual recognised eating disorder

And if you don't agree with it fine, but there's no need to be so hateful when there's people on this thread who are really struggling with this issue. What a horrible person you are thanks for making me feel like shit :(

Wow Milly.

Yep, that just about sums it up

Ever experienced a MH problem? Felt so shit about yourself that all you can think about is eat? Feel so worthless that all you can do is consume all those extra calories and hope the world just goes away?

Or how about the other way, hmm? Feel do ridiculous and fat and ugly that you can't get anything past your lips?

I'm reporting your post. It is one of the most vile things I've read on here for a while.

No one is saying that it's an excuse nor that all overweight people have MH conditions. Milly You sound like you've had a massive empathy bypass especially after people have shared stories of horrific abuse. Perhaps trying to read the thread before opening your gob.

Oh don't you worry, I have.

Have you ever experienced a MH problem, Milly?

Wow, Molly do you feel the same about drug addicts and gamblers etc?

Being 'truthful' doesn't help by the way, my husband was endlessly 'truthful' with me and it only made me put on more weight

If "toeing the party line" means not being a cunt to people who have confessed they do have MH problems related to food, I'll take it.

Greediness is not a mental health issues

I do feel that way about gamblers actually

YOU are the one who talks about greediness.

I can tell you from bitter experience, greed has fuck all to do with it.

Have you ever experienced a MH problem, Milly?

You sound delightful Milly. By the way, it's 'hear hear' or 'there there' and 'toe' the line...just saying (wouldn't usually bother but making a special exception for you). You are clearly an expert in all matters of MH clearly the entire medical community is wrong and eating disorders are nothing to do with MH, but your English isn't up to much.

here here I know it's not your fault your clinically obese to the point you have gave yourself diabetes have another slice of pizza

the grammatical errors in the above sentence suggest that you achieved very little educationally, so I think we ought to excuse your inability to grasp the issues discussed in this thread.

Over eating is NOT IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM a mental health issue

Milly

Please answer my question

have you ever experienced a MH problem?