Binge eating disorder

[Ahumanjellyfish]

Hello,

anyone have advice on what has worked for them for binge eating disorder?
Not connected to dieting - more binge when stressed.
I tried intermittent fasting which was oddly helpful after a few years binge started again and full swing bed. Tried mindful eating, not caring, moderation - all not helpful.

tips?

I’m not sure what you are saying TBH.

You seem incredulous that my psychiatrist would tell me that Mounjaro is not suitable for me as it is working for your binge eating.

So I was just asking whether you have been diagnosed with BED but I’m not clear from your replies whether that is the case.

Not incredulous. I just questioned how he would know.

I posted on a thread entitled ‘binge eating disorder’ and described how MJ has helped me, so I think it would have been reasonable for you not to question whether or not I was diagnosed.

My ED is on the other side but I understand. Definitely speak to Beat. Your illness is being recognised a lot more now which is fantastic. We both have food addiction issues, it can manifest in many ways.

I'd say trying to make sure you don't deprive yourself of the foods that trigger a binge, managing to have them in moderation. And eating meals that fill you up without feeling bloated. It isn't easy to get out of a bad habit though is it?

If you are starving and feel certain foods are bad I think it can lead to binge on them more.

Have you tried meditation, emotional freedom technique? There's also OA which is like AA but for overeating.

How would he know? Maybe because he is an ED psychiatrist who is an expert in his field and he knows my history?
I notice that you still haven’t said whether you have been diagnosed or not.

I answered that question yesterday but I still don’t understand why you are asking it? I was literally talking on a thread about binge eating disorder and shared my experience of Mounjaro. What part of that made you question whether I have been diagnosed or not?

There is nothing wrong with me asking how your psychiatrist would know how a medication would affect you. I’m not saying he, or you, are wrong, I was only asking how he could know that.

I think you have some issue with me here which is utterly unfounded so I shall leave it there, I was trying to be helpful on the thread by posting my own experience of BED and MJ.

Binge eating disorder - Wikipedia

I have diagnosed Binge Eating Disorder. I now realise that I've been in the grip of this for decades. What has been extremely helpful to me is specialist eating disorder therapy which takes a psychodynamic approach. In addition I use an AI tool on an addiction app. BED is not an addiction, however, I do use food in some of the same ways an addict uses an addictive substance. My weekly therapy has been life-changing, I've also used the AI tool for much needed needed support outside of that in the moments I've been feeling overwhelmed and at risk of bingeing.

I've not binged in many months and those urges are fewer and further apart now, and all that 'food noise' I've felt for a lot of my life is gone. I know better than to say I'm cured. Similar to an addiction, I've got to keep doing the work to keep it at bay.

BEAT can signpost you to an appropriate therapist. I've done lots of therapy in the past and the difference with a specialist in eating disorders is huge and has been transformative in my life.
I have tried weight loss injections and they didn't work for me (much to my despair at the time). That's because an eating disorder is not really about food and hunger but about a need for control and rigidity (at least that's what my therapist says and it makes a lot of sense to me now).
I know this thread is a few months old, but I hope that relating my experience might be helpful to you @Ahumanjellyfish .

Thank you for sharing this. It’s so helpful and funnnily enough, signed in today as I’ve been struggling.

minimise related to stress and anxiety. Im
sure if I restricted that would worsen things but like you implied, I use food to soothe. Work is always rocky so I’m always soothing. That’s the bit that has kept me in a trap/ it hasn’t been a classical eating disorder - I don’t ban foods, I’m not trying to be skinny then compensating with bingeing. I often think shall I have a drink instead - but that would be a downward slope too!

I will look up beat and it’s hugely inspiring you have found peace - thank you for sharing hope.

I have a diagnosed BED and working through a programme through the NHS at the moment although i wouldn't say it is helping me personally at the moment. Im finding chatgpt really helpful though, i used it today to work through a binge urge and it worked

@Rockfordpeach I use the AI tool in an app called Sunflower. I think it's possibly similar to ChatGPT. It's unexpectedly great at helping me through those binge urges! I got the app to keep track of binge free days and came across this feature included .
It's important to say not something that was endorsed or recommended by my therapist but she's happy that it's helping me at the moment.

Yes mine isnt endorsed by the NHS but i use it as a 'problem solving tool' which is part of the programme. What's useful about it is it's immediacy. Yesterday it talked me through steps and made suggestions and reminder cards and i know its AI but used soft and compassionate and encouraging language which was helpful in that low and vulnerable moment

@Rockfordpeach that's exactly how I use it. It gives me tools and suggestions as I need them and uses kind compassionate language. When an urge hits the immediacy of the help is something I wouldn't otherwise have. Help comes from some very unexpected places sometimes. I'm glad its helping you too.