Depression and overeating

[changer2010]

I'm feeling moderately low, when I'm low I overeat. I've spent £169 so far on deliveroo this month, and I've put on 10 lbs in 2 weeks. I'm wondering if I should tell my key worker, I did say I'd been overeating but not how much. Any ideas on how to get a grip on this?

Definitely tell your key worker as they may be able to offer some strategies to reduce your overeating.

I have binge eating disorder and the treatment for that is to introduce a structured meal plan of 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks a day. The logic being that you will have less physiological urge to binge if your body is being properly nourished. It does work although it can be hard to stick to when the compulsion is often to reduce calories to make up for previous binges.

Do you think you are bingeing OP or are you overeating but in a controlled manner?

Thanks, that's a good idea. I think I'm binging rather than just overeating. I'm ok from lunch onwards, it's in the morning I really eat everything because I'm feeling low. That's interesting re: three meals/snacks, I'll look into that.

I was told to not panic if the weight goes up further to start with because it will come down after that. It feels like eating all those meals and snacks is too many calories but it is actually a lot less calories than in a binge. The hard bit is to stick to the plan even if you are not hungry because it is the starving which inevitably leads to the bingeing.
I should say I am no expert but this info comes from my psychiatrist who specialises in ED.

Good luck 😀

Thanks, that's really helpful! I just need to be strong tomorrow morning.

I have the opposite.. not hungry in mornings but binge in the evenings because I'm bored. Doesn't help that dh has the same eating disorder and buys us both chocolate.. hardly supportive!

That makes it much harder to avoid bingeing. I’ve come to the conclusion that I can’t have that stuff in the house

Exactly Cyclealong.. I've told him he can sit on his own now! Weirdly enough I find once I brush my teeth I don't binge.

I'm trying not to have food in the house too. I did binge this morning, but on apples and melon and porridge...