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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask people who have had binge-eating disorder to tell me how they recovered?

141 replies

herewegoroundthebastardbush · 24/08/2023 15:55

Wrong board I know but inspired by the 'is it fair on your partner to get fat' thread.

I am a binge-eater. It's driving me crazy, ruining my body, my mind and my life. AND YET. I can't stop. That thread has just reminded me there are hosts of people, the majority of people, who don't understand that at all - who just cannot believe it is anything deeper or more compulsive than gluttony and laziness.

But I am miserable at the weight I am (14 stone at 5 foot 6, I'm 38 years old and put on most of this weight in the 5 years since my mother died). It hurts, my knees hurt, my feet hurt, my back hurts. I am miserable in a constant fog of tiredness from too much sugar and processed carbs (my binge items of 'choice'). I sleep badly. I have no spending money because it all goes on binge food. If I could stop, believe me, really, truly, I would stop. But I can't.

So I don't want to hear from people who haven't been here - I know you might all have the best of intentions, but I don't need the scepticism or to be told to just eat less and move more or to be told to pull myself up by my bootstraps and stop being so weak/greedy/disgusting. I can do all that for myself, and do, regularly. It doesn't work.

I want to hear from people who know EXACTLY what I'm talking about - but have managed to stop. I don't even mind if you never lost weight; just that you managed to get the binge-eating under control. And how did you do it?

The internet is awful for this, any Google search just pulls up a load of thinly disguised ads for £££ 'nutrition plans', supplements, gastric band surgery or Ozempic. I mean if that's what it takes that's what it takes, but I'd like to hear that from people who aren't trying to sell me something.

Also - if you did manage to stop - are you happpier? Or has the sadness just found another place to live?

OP posts:
GardeningIdiot · 24/08/2023 17:37

I don't think you'll get many of the answers you want on AIBU, OP.

Fecksakereallygodreally · 24/08/2023 17:42

Be kind to yourself and that inner child. Punishment by horrid words and guilt won't help you and I know we do that all the time to ourselves. It's a journey but if you feel comfortable tell as many people who can be supportive. Hugs xxx

madeleine85 · 24/08/2023 17:45

I re-read your post, and to be clear, I didn't binge eat, but like another poster had another ED. No matter which one, they are all (in my view) an addiction. They never truly go away. I have largely "replaced" mine in a somewhat healthier way with exercise. I do 30 mins to an hour most days, try to walk when it is an option etc. I've found les mills online really good for at home workouts, and the peloton app. If I go 3-4 days without exercising (and recently I had a broken ankle bone which was really bad for my mental health) it begins to get me down, almost like anxiety and depression. I begin feeling on edge and just disengaged and "off". My husband can tell, and usually prompts me to go for a jog or just get out for 30 minutes of me time. When I have had a really bad day, negative thoughts can come back, and it is almost like a desire to "punish myself" for something outside of my control. If I can re-focus on something else, that helps a lot. It is a real struggle though, and I commend you for trying to look into this. Therapy really was the best starting point, identifying the cause, the triggers, and how to get a support system in place to prevent backsliding was key.

cornflakesandtea · 24/08/2023 17:48

Following with interest. I have no advice but plenty of sympathy as I also suffer with binge eating and secretive eating. I think my problem is that I'm addicted to sugar, although I have had some traumas but I'm not sure they're linked to my eating.

SomeCatFromJapan · 24/08/2023 17:50

What may be useful is treating it as a physical addiction to suger and refined carbohydrates. While you obviously can't go cold turkey from all food, you can from those items. It might, especially combined with exercise, somewhat physically reset things so that the cravings go away or lessen.
I totally appreciate that just stopping eating those foods, and embarking on an exercise programme, are huge hurdles in themselves though.

I'm going to make a more way-out suggestion.... there was a thread in the Mental Health section a while ago about microdosing or taking magic mushrooms therapeatically, from what I've read that can work really well as a brain reset - but I appreciate that it won't be for everyone.

hylian · 24/08/2023 17:51

herewegoroundthebastardbush · 24/08/2023 17:02

See my binging is very different, it's all secret, hiding food in my desk drawer, hiding wrappers, and not "normal" like eating a Maccas or having a sugary drink - I'm talking binging, eating six bags of crisps, a family size chocolate bar and a share bag of Haribo, or a six pack of hot cross buns in 5 minutes. Sometimes I try to cut it out by only buying "better" food - so today I've ended up eating a 250g bag of unsalted peanuts and about half a family size block of cheese. Noone fancies that and "treats" themselves to it... It's bizarre, compulsive behaviour. And I can't just "not buy it" unless I literally leave my bank card at home. And even then I spend ages looking at what I could get delivered to me on Uber Eats as then I could pay with PayPal. I mean it's MENTAL behaviour. This is sort of what I mean when I say people don't understand. Although I do appreciate your posting! But it's like a different world you're describing, where a damascene realisation means you can suddenly control yourself. I know!! But I still can't stop.

When you are having your binges, what is going through your head?

Is it something like thinking that what you are doing/ eating is 'bad' but you're going to do it anyway because you want it (the pleasure of the taste etc) and then you beat yourself up after?

Saltisford · 24/08/2023 17:52

‘See my binging is very different, it's all secret, hiding food in my desk drawer, hiding wrappers, and not "normal" like eating a Maccas or having a sugary drink - I'm talking binging, eating six bags of crisps, a family size chocolate bar and a share bag of Haribo, or a six pack of hot cross buns in 5 minutes.’

I totally relate to this. I suppose I have never got rid of these behaviours which have probably gone on since I was about ten but would say I am fitter and lighter than I was as a teenager. I have done mainly self help things:

  • I attended slimming world for years in my twenties as early thirties. It probably helps that many of my go to recipes are sw. Also I would binge on things that are ‘free’ such as fruit.
  • I got into different types of exercise classes like zumba
  • if I know I’m out of control, chucking the offending item in the bin and squirting fairy liquid on it is a good tip!
  • I do a weekly shop and try not to get in too many treats (this is harder now with kids)
  • there is a binge eating podcast but I found it a bit too ‘American’ and hard to maintain listening to

I think I physically cannot eat as much as I used to somehow. 13 bags of wotsits was a particular bad session which hurts your mouth!!

it is something I should imagine I’ll always do though without trying hard not to?

summerdawn · 24/08/2023 17:52

I can absolutely relate to what you describe, including the secretive side. In my case I have also got a history of restrictive patterns of eating, and fluctuated between the two extremes, so we are not in exactly the same position, but I wanted you to know I do understand.

For me there has been no magic bullet but over the past five or so years things have improved a lot. It is something I had been actively trying to address for over ten years before that, and had been suffering with for several further years before that.

I’m not sure exactly what helped most in my case but I think a combination of:

therapy - for food but also general, for self

seeing a nutritionist (not helpful at the time so much but helpful in retrospect re: making good meal choices once in a position to do that).

regular exercise including a muscle building component. E.g. weights, reformer Pilates, martial arts

yoga most days.

eating a lower carb/Mediterranean diet and ensuring all carbs are taken with protein too.

The book “brain over binge” did help, I think. It offers a bit of empowerment as well as an explanation for thinking patterns that helps you “check yourself” in the moment. For instance, when smelling something like freshly baked cookies I might previously have bought a packet or three to binge on, whereas the book taught me that was just my “lizard (primitive) brain” response and I could overcome that with rationalisation.

Escaping from a toxic and abusive relationship. (Not saying this applies to you but perhaps there are difficulties in your life that you could seek to cast off or mitigate)

Try to make healthy meal choices even if you binge over and above that. You’ll likely have both a physiological and a psychological addiction; better food will help your body physiologically and I hope, in time, psychologically.

(Keto was also helpful. Intermittent fasting, however, was a disaster in terms of binge relapses, though now I would probably have the confidence to tentatively try it again at some point.)

The “sunk costs” fallacy. Once I had bought food, if I started bingeing but was then able to think myself out of continuing, I would chuck the food away (destroyed/rendered inedible if risk of retrieving later). You’ve spent the money either way and aren’t going to get the money back if you eat the rest of the food rather than chucking it. So it’s not a waste and it’s better for your body.

I am now a healthy weight that doesn’t fluctuate much, have a lot of energy, eat healthily but not obsessively and have far fewer urges to binge which I can resist 99 percent of the time.

I have been a healthy weight at other points before when simultaneously desperately unwell with disordered thought processes and behaviours around food, so the weight is not a benchmark for me but rather how I feel and behave.

I think the combination of all of the above suggestions (and time) has made this, tentatively, feel different for months to perhaps even years. I would not say I am cured but am feeling the best I’ve ever felt, and have been for a sustained length of time.

You might like to get a free trial of one of those blood sugar monitors (freestyle) which will give you data about how different foods (including sugar and carbs) affect your blood sugar. You could then read about how blood sugar affects body and mind.

very best of luck. I do think this is something you can tackle, and I do understand. I could weep when I think of the money I have wasted on junk food over the years and the time I have lost to it. It’s a horrible addiction.

sadsack78 · 24/08/2023 17:57

I'm sorry you're going through this OP. It's a miserable thing to struggle with and you're not alone.

I found this Youtube channel really helpful when I was struggling: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBingeEatingTherapist/featured

She also wrote a book on binge eating that might help you a lot.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sarah-Dosanjh/e/B084PYJZT5/ref=aufs_dp_ftatl_an_dsk

I think a lot of recovery is figuring out how the binging serves you. Does it help numb you and shut off painful emotions? Is it how you relax? Is it the only time you let yourself eat certain foods? And from there you can unpick what drives the binges, and figure out how to take care of yourself in ways other than binging.

You also need to figure out how to stop restricting yourself as that keeps the binge-restrict cycle going. The therapist I've linked above has made hundreds of videos that can explain it all far better than I ever could!

I wish you the best, Op. It takes immense courage to face your problem, acknowledge it and decide you want to change.

And recovery is absolutely possible. It takes a lot of time and effort but you WILL get there.

Before you continue to YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheBingeEatingTherapist/featured

CantFindTheBeat · 24/08/2023 17:58

I am finally cracking it after decades of disordered eating, every diet and gym routine you can think of.

I'm doing the 'NoBS' weight loss programme.

It's run by people who've lost significant amounts of weight and have kept it off for years and years.

www.nobsweightloss.com/

It's based on simple principles - eat when hungry, only eat till you've had enough, drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep.

Sounds easy, but needs lots of thought work and coaching to get to 'why do I eat when I'm not hungry, why do I eat past full' etc.

I love it.

NancyJoan · 24/08/2023 17:59

It’s nothing to do with the food, or your appetite, or weight, so forget about that. It’s not about making healthier choices, or exercise or having gastric surgery or Ozempic.

Your behaviour is a symptom of the things that are going on mentally, a reaction to the trauma. The release/relief that you get from the binge is the thing. It’s your best friend, but also your worst enemy. That’s the thing you need help with. Proper, psychiatric help.

I’m sorry, it’s awful for you.

DivingForLove · 24/08/2023 18:00

Following with interest OP - that thread you reference made me cry. I was beautiful when I met my dh, I’m now extremely overweight. I hate myself and my binge eating and have battled it for 20 years. I also eat secretively and hide wrappers, go to different shops, binge in the car, the works. I’m tired, in constant pain and old before my time. I know mine is sugar addiction but dear god it’s hard to break 😢

Mojodojocasahaus · 24/08/2023 18:02

Op you need to read Brain Over Binge by Kathryn Hanson - absolutely life changing

NickyWiresSunnies · 24/08/2023 18:06

Hi, I'm sorry you are suffering this utterly corrosive disease. It consumes you, though most only see the consumption...I had anorexia, which was 'broken' by a vicious in-patient regime of 80s sadism. Desperate to get away, I ate. And when I got out, the bingeing began. And puking.
The game changer, after years of swinging between starving & bingeing, was 60mg prozac a day. Fluoxetine is the nearest now since litigation sank 'liquid sunshine'. I no longer medicate but I guess the exercise regime I now hew to is endorphin-led.
All shades of addiction, coping mechanisms. If you can analyse your triggers & eventually substitute healthier addiction? However awful you feel, the bingeing is - or was - giving your body & mind something. A diversion, anaesthesia, I don't know. Only you know. But I wish you safety & a path out of this.

HorsePlatitudes · 24/08/2023 18:08

Keto

FluffyButts · 24/08/2023 18:11

This site has some good resources https://breakbingeeating.com/

like any ED I think the key is tackling the root cause. Diets, weight loss meds and surgeries won’t really help in the long term.

In my experience it’s hard to manage or fix it alone, a good therapist is key, they are so hard to find though.

Break Binge Eating

Break free of your eating disorder with effective and easy-to-implement strategies and information that can alleviate your binge eating behaviour.

https://breakbingeeating.com/

Minimeltdown · 24/08/2023 18:12

Completely understand what you're talking about, @herewegoroundthebastardbush, especially the secret eating. It's been a problem for me since I was a teenager, and I'm now 40. I would eat reasonably moderately around other people (even close family/boyfriends) and binge on crisps and sweets and chocolate, hiding wrappers in my car and putting them into the wheelie bin on bin day so they wouldn't be found.

I'm currently listening to 'Why We Eat (Too Much)' on Audible, and it's really interesting so far. It talks about diet, propensity towards obesity, how many doctors still rely on outdated views about why we may binge or overeat. Worth a listen/ read. The later chapters are meant to be advice on how to successfully lose weight and reset your body's weight setpoint, but I haven't got there yet!

I'm on a calorie deficit food plan now, and have lost nearly four stone in about 5 months. (with another 5 stone at least to go, as I'm much bigger than you). Honestly, these are the things that have worked for me:

  • Having the same/ very similar breakfasts and lunches, so I don't have to THINK what to have each day. I make thousands of decisions at work, and really do get fed up of deciding meals too!
  • Using My Fitness Pal to track calories. I stick to around 1900-2000 per day, even when I've exercised.
  • Chocolate and crisps are not off-limits. I have a little bit of each most days- weighed/ counted as part of my deficit.
  • I've made myself actively slow down and take smaller bites of food I really love. It's helped me to avoid binging.
  • If I'm feeling the urge to binge, I have a glass of water and either go for a run, or crochet, or play a game on my phone, or take a bath to distract myself and get out of the kitchen. If I still feel the same after half an hour, I'll have a snack.
  • Couch to 5k got me running. Very badly, very slowly, but still running! Makes me feel amazing.

You're not alone. It's fucking hard. If you're on Tiktok, there are loads of people posting about binge eating and what helps. It's worth a look if you're that way inclined.

Cozytoesandtoast00 · 24/08/2023 18:23

SomeCatFromJapan · 24/08/2023 17:50

What may be useful is treating it as a physical addiction to suger and refined carbohydrates. While you obviously can't go cold turkey from all food, you can from those items. It might, especially combined with exercise, somewhat physically reset things so that the cravings go away or lessen.
I totally appreciate that just stopping eating those foods, and embarking on an exercise programme, are huge hurdles in themselves though.

I'm going to make a more way-out suggestion.... there was a thread in the Mental Health section a while ago about microdosing or taking magic mushrooms therapeatically, from what I've read that can work really well as a brain reset - but I appreciate that it won't be for everyone.

The only thing that works for me is this (the elimination of sugar and simple carbs part)
You feel like crap for about a week and then I stop binging. Magic.

BeretRaspberry · 24/08/2023 18:25

I had bulimia which is similar but I purged too. I had CBT which helped but I also had some sessions with an intuitive eating specialist. This involved ‘legalising’ all foods. Eating when I was hungry and stopping when satisfied. It took a lot of work and wasn’t easy at but practically it really really helped.

One thing I would say is restriction in any form (calorie counting, reducing carbs etc etc) is one of the biggest drivers of bingeing (alongside your other emotional reasons of course). So the advice about trying to lose weight/cut things out isn’t great in my opinion. And can be quite dangerous to someone with an eating disorder.

volcan · 24/08/2023 18:29

Mojodojocasahaus · 24/08/2023 18:02

Op you need to read Brain Over Binge by Kathryn Hanson - absolutely life changing

This is the one. Amazing book.

pimplebum · 24/08/2023 18:29

For me it's not about tracking calories or being strict with yourself it's about loving yourself and working on your positive inner voice

You can't do this on your own that is absurd an alcoholic can't do this alone nor can a drug addict , you need to reach out to doctors , on line groups. Friends and family who will support you therapist
Work on the emotional reasons and only after all that hard work should you look to your eating
Personally I've joined a really supportive exercise group and have stuck to it for 5 months I have not even attempted food reduction yet that will come when I'm ready
Best of luck

rubydoobydoo · 24/08/2023 18:33

Another recommendation for Brain Over Binge (recovered bulimic here!)

The people giving nutrition advice - it might be hard to binge on fresh whole foods, but if you have an eating disorder then just not having certain foods in the house doesn't stop the insatiable urge to go and buy tons of the sweet sugary stuff you feel you need - especially with the amount of late opening convenience stores and food delivery apps these days! Binge eating disorder is very different to normal overeating or just eating a bit too much of the wrong foods.

herewegoroundthebastardbush · 24/08/2023 18:34

hylian · 24/08/2023 17:51

When you are having your binges, what is going through your head?

Is it something like thinking that what you are doing/ eating is 'bad' but you're going to do it anyway because you want it (the pleasure of the taste etc) and then you beat yourself up after?

That's actually a surprisingly difficult question to answer. I know what goes through my head that causes and enables me to get the food.

Thoughts of overeating will become quite intrusive - and I is overeating I want to do, it's not "ooh I really want some chocolate", I specifically want to buy a LOT of chocolate and eat it all. Don't really understand yet why that's important but it is. It's quite separate to "normal" eating - like if someone came around the office with a box of exactly what I'm craving and gave me a normal person portion, that wouldn't do anything for me at all. I don't know why. The thoughts become increasingly intrusive.

I think about the fact I have a problem and that it has to stop and I resolve to stop.

Then I get an almost panicky feeling about stopping, and try to 'reassure' myself ("but I can still have x, it's ok to have y").

Then I decide since I'm going to stop all this, I can do it "one last time" and get the items together for a blowout (see it's classic addictive thinking, although I'm now so live to this even as in thinking these thoughts there's another nasty voice inside me going "yeah right, heard that one before").

But when I'm actually eating, I don't know what I'm thinking. I don't really remember the eating particularly, or the pleasure, or the taste. I'm sure I must be thinking something, but there is nothing distinct attached to the memory, or even much of a memory at all. What's clear is the feelings before and after - before anxiety, distraction, stress, afterwards sickness, grogginess, shame. I don't really beat myself up as such but I do feel very hopeless, very powerless and very trapped.

OP posts:
Wizzoh · 24/08/2023 18:36

I got a gastric sleeve. I cannot physically binge anymore.

Psychologically it was extremely hard, but I tried every other way from hypnotherapy to saxenda. Nothing worked but this.

2 years on, maintaining a 7 stone loss.

Pastarasta1 · 24/08/2023 18:39

I suffered hugely from binge eating disorder. I did slimming world and lost 3 stone in 8 months.. but after I stopped it made me binge worse than ever.. it was ridiculous.. I put on 1.5 stone back on..
I'm now calorie counting and weighing everything I eat.. its depressing as fuck but it is helping.. after a couple of weeks you do feel your stomach has shrunk. I also recommend CBT, I addressed elements of my binge eating in CBT and found coping techniques.
Binge eating is a mental disorder, until you address your thinking basically nothing you do will stick.
You've recognised it though, which is the first step.x

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