To not know how to stop binge eating?

[User3366]

Please be kind as it’s taken a lot for me to post this.

Today I have finally had to face up to the fact that I have a real problem with binge eating and I don’t know how to stop.

I can go for weeks without doing it and eat really healthily a lot of the time but then I have periods where I just can’t stop.

When I binge it takes place over quite a short period of time. I’ve had a normal day and had a normal breakfast and lunch but this evening I have just lost it. In the last couple of hours I have eaten two boxes of quality street, a six pack of walkers crisps, a full loaf of bread with butter and two bowls of cornflakes. I feel sick and so bloated it is painful but I know as soon as I have written this I will go and find something else to eat. This is day 4 of me doing this. I’ve been so good for months before this. I’m not overweight but I’m scared to weigh myself and see how much I’ve put on.

A few months ago I needed antibiotics but had a reaction to them and began vomiting. I obviously stopped taking them but didn’t throw them out. I’ve just taken one because I feel so dirty and disgusted with myself I just need to get rid of the food, and I can’t eat if I’m vomiting. I’m such a mess right now.

I think I need help but don’t know where to start.

You have the awareness to understand that this troubling you, and have admitted that. It’s the first step. Binge eating and eating disorders are complex mental disorders, I believe they have some similarities to addiction, alcoholism etc. It’s not about being greedy, it’s a mental illness. It isn’t your fault OP, it can happen to anyone but you are the one who unfortunately will have to deal with it.

It might be worth getting in touch with BEAT (the eating disorders association) for some support. There are also self help books you may want to read to aid you in your recovery, have a look on Amazon.

Wishing you all the best, admitting the problem is a really positive step forward in taking back control. Eating disorders are the pits and often misunderstood unless the person has experienced it themselves.

there is overeater anonymous and yes they will put you through aa type meetings and you will read the aa manual. Binge eating is complex and much more common than you'd think.

I've being to the stage where I'd buy 12 quids worth of chocolate and desserts on Saturday nights and sit in and eat it all within 40 minutes-you have my sympathy.Did days of binge eating days on end, even got up of bed at 1am on a work night and drove to my local shop and sat in my car binging when I'd be in work in hours time and go in with the worst sugar comedowns.
Very hard cycle to break. I've even downed tins of quality street/roses etc. in less than an hour.
I think binge eating or eating like this is something many people don't get. I rarely drink so think people on mn and in life who say they can't stop drinking are weak etc but then I realise it is an addiction similar to my own. It is an addiction just like alcohol/drugs.

I had some issues with this when I was younger. I think a few things helped me. 1) finding exercise I loved doing, I really enjoyed regular exercise and all the feel-good hormones that came with it. I had zero urge to binge when I was regularly exercising.

2. building up my self esteem generally - setting goals and achieving them, taking up hobbies. Making new friends etc. Things that boosted my opinion of myself and kept me busy.

3. realising that often binging is really just linked to sugar / carb addiction. I ate low carb / high fat and all the urges just disappeared. Blood sugar lowers, less crashes and highs

Food is my addiction, I think it's something that needs to be talked about more. I've given up smoking and drinking but food I just cant do it. No advice sadly but I know how u feel

I have the exact same issue. Often eat well (albeit too much), then I fall off for a few days. Been super busy at work and been spectacularly awful for a month.

I am V overweight and really need to do something for health, but am v emotionally dependant on food esp when under stress so I fall off diets and intuitive eating is also too unstructured.

Anyway I am going to try very structured eating (3 meals 2 snacks, protein at every meal) - it’s what they advise for eating disorders (which is what I think I have really.)

I am going to watch with interest to see what anyone else says!

Good luck OP!

.... oh and I am also having some therapy to deal w emotions which I think is important to help manage. BEAT is an organisation you can contact.

Just like any eating disorder, binge eating requires professional help, especially a counsellor.

You are definitely not alone. I polish off a whole packet of biscuits, cake, crisps or chocolate on a daily basis. I'm allergic to wheat and gluten but binge on these foods especially pastries. My reasonably good days are when I'm around people so I'm being kept busy and can't be seen to be eating crap. I am an emotional eater and life has been very low for some years now. Currently I'm working up to the 3rd year anniversary of my daughter passing, thoughts of what should have been, why me the list goes on. I have little emotional support my husband on a different page to me. He deals with things differently which is fine but doesn't help. Life is busy with my surviving twin which adds a lot more thoughts to this situation. My surviving child is hard work but this mainly isn't helped by my husband doesn't help so there is so much pressure to be the parent, looking after a home and working full time. My husband always has digs at me for liking sweet things so it's actually easier to finish food to dispose of the evidence and not deal with him. Reading the responses to your post I think I should look at eating disorders. I also need counselling for many things as well as somehow sorting my relationship. I know I don't binge eat when I'm happy. I'm just currently on a self disrupt button.

I'd recommend OA as well. I've been abstinent from binging for 10 days now. No idea if I've lost any weight (am very overweight) but I'm actually enjoying the peace of mind and not having that painful uncomfortable feeling of being overfull. I've eaten unhealthy things but have eaten sort of normally and feel a lot happier for it.

If its emotional eating, this year has probably not helped. Some people have drunk too much. I've eaten too much. I'm not completely on board with everything in OA . I struggle with the sponsor idea and with the higher power as well but the one day at a time mantra is getting me through.

I think i will always have a problem with food though. I seriously envy people who just treat it as fuel.

I would think the meetings will all be online just now but might be worth a look

''3) realising that often binging is really just linked to sugar / carb addiction. I ate low carb / high fat and all the urges just disappeared. Blood sugar lowers, less crashes and highs''

While I realise this helps, it is inaccurate to say a change in diet will stop this/make the urges disappear. Simply because the urges can be psychological. If anything dieting can make this worse and can be a trigger.

@ohmygodshedoes

''3) realising that often binging is really just linked to sugar / carb addiction. I ate low carb / high fat and all the urges just disappeared. Blood sugar lowers, less crashes and highs''

While I realise this helps, it is inaccurate to say a change in diet will stop this/make the urges disappear. Simply because the urges can be psychological. If anything dieting can make this worse and can be a trigger.

As I noted in my post, it wasn’t through change of diet alone that I improved. I get that psychological factors are key and that’s why I mentioned the work I did on my self esteem and other areas of my life to improve my mental health as a whole. The reduction in bingeing was a by-product of all that. There are many factors that lead to binge eating.

I've stopped eating sugar and white carbs. Easier said than done, you might think but it's actually been ok and I've found myself not wanting any sugary stuff which is unheard of for me. My mum had made mince pies the other day and I just didn't want one
I feel like I've been freed from my addiction, finally 🙏 and I feel so much better and more confident too.
Worth a try? Good luck