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.

[spegal]

Don't think its mental health problems for majority of people.

Its being poisened by the food industry that make stuff in labs to be addictive as possible.

Eat unprocessed foods would solve the majority of oversight peoples issue.

[Thenapoleonofcrime]

As Manic states, compulsive overeating disorder is indeed in the DSM classification for mental health disorders along with anorexia and others. Those saying that it has many of the features of an addictive compulsive disorder are spot on.

[LumieresForMe]

Did you know that sugar actually activates the same area in the brain than drugs do? So quite a few experts are now saying that the reason we crave sugar is the fact it puts us in that 'all is good' frame of mind like drugs do vans that sugar is just as addictive.
When you see how much sugar there is in most if the foods we eat (I had a look at a ready prepared salad with all the good stuff and realized it had 12g!!! Of sugar in. For a few vegs and ham. ) there is no wonder that people use food as a crutch/auto medication.

[OhFFSWhatsWrongNow]

silly completely agree that is is self harm and abusive. It's also an addiction and so a vicious cycle is created that you just can't "snap out of", as so many people seem to think you can.

[LadyNexus]

I agree there is no comfort I binge eating.

It is painful. It makes you feel ill and sick. Once I thought I might actually have burst my stomach from the pain and STILL kept eating.

[MyFairyKing]

We use the ICD-10 in England (in the rest of the UK too?) and it covers a range of eating disorders:

Eating disorders
F50.0 Anorexia nervosa
F50.1 Atypical anorexia nervosa
F50.2 Bulimia nervosa
F50.3 Atypical bulimia nervosa
F50.4 Overeating associated with other psychological disturbances
F50.5 Vomiting associated with other psychological disturbances
F50.8 Other eating disorders
F50.9 Eating disorder, unspecified

[unrealhousewife]

I'm not sure whether anorexia can be compared. People with anorexia are more likely to die than people with depression due to the physiological effect on the appetite, it is a downward spiral that's very hard to change.

Anorexia needs far more intervention.

[WorraLiberty]

Binge eating and comfort eating are too different things

I used to work with someone who comfort ate all day long. She didn't binge, it was just constant.

[WorraLiberty]

*two

[OhFFSWhatsWrongNow]

lady that is exactly how I feel it's horrible Isn't it? When I was a teenager I used to make myself sick by putting my fingers down my throat :( I have only recently stopped it. This has left me with terrible problems with my oesophagus that I am having medical investigations for. I told my doctor and she asked me could she put it on my records that I have done this. I said no :(

[MyFairyKing]

There are thought to be two general schools of thoughts; compulsive over eating and binge eating. A person who eats non-stop all day long but may be a compulsive over eater. That is, if I were diagnosing her which I'm not.

[SaucyJack]

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

Well, it is true. But then again- all a self-harmer would have to stop self-harming is to stop dismantling Gilllettes and using them to slice their arms and legs up.

It's really rather unhelpful to make simple statements without looking at the underlying reasons as to why people don't like themselves enough to take care of their bodies.

[Mustgo]

Yanbu. It depresses me. I feel so bad, guilty, lost. I grab at every bit of info out there nothing helps the news reporting on this makes mecfeel like i wish i could hide away and never leave the house. I've had to make myself go iut and am getting better a little bit but it's become so difficult to get dressed and go outside.

[cosikitty]

I would consider overeating a habit, and habits are are hard to break. I am not convinced it is a mental health issue though. I bite my nails and can't stop, am I mentally ill?

[LadyNexus]

Yes I purged as a teenager. The weight crept up when I stopped.

But I still can't stop the episodes of binging/ self harm. I loathe it, it not only makes me feel physically sick and in pain, but the self hatred and disgust is also crippling.

Have read all the books, never helped. I'm trying to pluck up the courage to see the gp.

[TinyTear]

Cosikitty depends why do you bite your nails

do you hide that you bite your nails?

do you dispose of the evidence in a street bin because you don't want your husband to know you have been niting the nails?

[ChubbyKitty]

Yanbu, it would be nice if overeating was taken a little more seriously. I know professionals do but people who suffer are going to need more than that to deal with the issue. I certainly don't think I'd be taken seriously by friends or family if I even hinted that my over eating and massive weight gain might be a bigger issue than they all thought, and maybe, just maybe, it's linked with the incredibly traumatic events of last year.

[TessOfTheFurbyvilles]

My SIL is a registered dietician, and compulsive overeating where there are CLEAR psychological issues, is indeed a recognised eating disorder.

Indeed I see that FairyKing has listed the ICD-10 identifiers for the various eating disorders recognised in England. It's listed there as F50.4

Therefore, anyone dismissing the notion that overeating can be (note CAN be, not ALWAYS!) a mental health issue, don't know what they're talking about.

My SIL actually specialises in working with over-eaters, and works with both those who overeat out of habit, AND those for whom it's been diagnosed as an eating disorder due to psychological/mental health issues. Where the latter is concerned, she is the secondary health professional, the primary one obviously being a mental health professional.

OP - I think it's great you've spoken out about this (I hope that doesn't sound patronising, it isn't intended too).

[PrincessBabyCat]

Well, it may not be an easy thing to do, but it is what has to be done to lose weight and be healthy. If you know you have a comfort eating problem, then you should probably see a therapist to work on that to help curb the habit.

[ChubbyKitty]

Mind you reading this thread I think it's more my problem thinking I'd be laughed out of a GPs office than something that would actually happen.

I also sound incredibly whingey and I apologise it didn't sound like that in my head!

[MyFairyKing]

Princess It takes more than therapy and it's not a 'habit' but a psychological need. I'm not excusing the average Joe Bloggs who overeats but I'd no sooner appreciate being told to just eat when I had anorexia than I do now.