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.

[Justfuckitupagain]

Well your overrating is not 1 of them

Eh?

Milly it really is a simple yes or no. You can take your time to think about it if you want but it is quite a straightforward question.

[Justfuckitupagain]

Wow, that really is interesting.

Does this mean that if I started using coke then I might lose my lard-arse? (half joking!)

[Suzannewithaplan]

Is the dopamine reward system thing isnt it, food esp carbs (I think) has the effect of a hit, with some people

I think it's possible to be addicted to anything provided it gives a reward, dopamine is the neurotransmitter associated with reward seeking behaviour.

Thats all off the top of my head...there's more to it than that

[Suzannewithaplan]

it's hard to resist cravings by willpower alone, usually some sort of strategy is required, some people need help to put together a strategy

[Milly101]

No start by eating less and exercising

[Sleepwhenidie]

Yes Suzanne - the dopamine produced when we consume sugar (or cocaine) creates feelings of pleasure, which we then learn to associate with the substance triggering its release. If we consistently continue to consume the trigger substance, then the production of dopamine (or possibly our sensitivity to it) adjusts downwards - so we seek out more of the substance to try and get the same hit. Then, longer term, abuse of the trigger substance cause chemical changes that start to affect the rational, logical part of the brain which then impedes decision making, hence the addict behaving in ways that are extremely destructive (to self and/or others). It seems that certain people are more susceptible to addiction than others (ie apparently genetic), but its not clear why afaik.

[MyFairyKing]

Milly instead of trite statements, why don't you answer the points put to you? Or are you just here to goad people who have disclosed stories of horrific abuse?

[Sleepwhenidie]

I think everyone understands your message Milly - thanks for the input .

[Justfuckitupagain]

Wow.

Never thought of that



Thought of an answer yet? Or do I need to post it yet again?

[OhFFSWhatsWrongNow]

just Me either. Praise The Lord, our problems are solved!

[Justfuckitupagain]

And do you know what, FFS? The advice is just a shorter version of the opening line of your OP!

I mean, honestly, how fucking thick are we? You to write it, and me to read it, and the advice STILL didn't penetrate our thick skulls.

[Sleepwhenidie]

I think she's busy writing a book about it - shouldn't take long, will sell millions

[OhFFSWhatsWrongNow]

sorry what's that now just

suzanne yes once people realise that Paul mckennas books are a crock of shite and this is all we had to do, they will come flocking to buy it.

[JanineSmitherooni]

Ganging up and picking on someone isnt nice, is it?

[MyFairyKing]

About as nice as insulting people who have shared stories of abuse and announcing that a diagnosable condition doesn't exist.......

[Sleepwhenidie]

Milly Janine...ODFOD - you clearly love getting on sensitive threads just to see how much you can wind people up, its not really working here any more

[Suzannewithaplan]

so, erm as things stand which points are the subject of dispute?

Surely the original question, ie 'is overeating a mental health problem' depends on what criteria are used to determine mental health problem?

I guess the question raised when we consider the original proposition would be 'is it helpful to consider compulsive eating (or any compulsive behaviour) to be a mental health problem'?

[JanineSmitherooni]

Eh? This is the first post I've made in months. Nice to be back at mn.

[Justfuckitupagain]

Completely agree, Janine - thank you for pointing that out. Picking on someone ISN'T nice. Worse still is picking on someone for behaviour they display/the way they look/the size they are (large OR small) as a result of suffering from a problem that they can do nothing about.

OK, here's another situation. Looking at people who may be obese - lets say they have cancer and are extremely oedematous? Or are on steroids and consequently puff up like balloons? Their appearance is not something that they can help. That is a physical problem, but it impacts on their weight.

How is it that, when it comes to mental heath, there is a difference?

Please, I am genuinely interested, I'm not just being pedantic - can someone explain this to me please?

[Justfuckitupagain]

Welcome back Janine!

[Suzannewithaplan]

Just I suspect that you are mixing up 2 separate things:

1-compulsive eating can be considered an addiction, addiction is considered by some to be a mental health issue

2-being overweight because of the illnesses you describe may lead to depression or other mental health problems

[Sleepwhenidie]

I think there's a whole range of things in between Suzanne, I think

compulsive eating isn't necessarily an addiction, but one can lead to the other and for some sufferers, like the poster above, cutting out sugar and starchy carbs can eventually remove/reduce the compulsion (as with alcoholics or drug addicts)

Sometimes it is more like OCD, where the sufferer doesn't get any pleasure at all, it's just something they have to do

Sometimes it is a reaction to an emotional trigger, a way of stuffing down emotions rather than expressing or processing them, or attempting to fill a different need that isn't being met elsewhere in life.

Sometimes it is an expression of self hatred, a way of punishing self.

Different people have different definitions of a binge too, some people would consider a family sized bar of chocolate a binge whereas others would consume more like thousands of calories. The first could be considered a coping mechanism, as others use drink or drugs, shopping or exercise, not to underestimate how unhappy it actually makes the person, but you can understand why a GP wouldn't refer you to an ED clinic for this, whereas the other end of the scale, where the bingeing is a clear threat to your health and interfering with life, you should be.

This is just compulsive eating, without exploring 'overeating'!

It's all mental health but the point you treat it (on NHS) is a difficult question...

[BeatriceBean]

Watching..

[Sleepwhenidie]

And I forgot to include dieting being a trigger for binges too. All too often, compulsive eaters are trapped in a cycle of binge and restrict and it often happens that when they stop trying to 'be good' and get out of dieting mentality, feed themselves properly, that the urge to binge disappears-simply because your brain isn't screaming at you about how hungry your body is

[Justfuckitupagain]

Just trying to illustrate that there are various reasons for someone to be classified as "obese" - some physical, some mental, some, emotional, some "none of he above"