Please stop me ,i am certain i have Binge eating disorder

[Beauregard]

Regular binges(once or twice a week) usually as a reaction to stressful events.To the point where i feel so ill i consider making myself sick.My tummy hurts and i feel like i have to diet for the next 8 months to make myself feel better.This resolve will only last until the next binge session though.

I am a complete headcase really.
On top of this i have food phobias ,arachnaphobia ,on/off depression and anxiety attacks.

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God i am so annoyed with myself
Thanks Dior

I used to be so disaplined with food and now i have no control.I should just start smoking again i think ,it always helped before,

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Yes the effects would be enough to stop you i imagine.

I need to break this cycle i really do ,i am always 'on a diet'yet i am not overweight really 12-14 6ft2.I need to feel in control of this ,yet my life centres around food,constantly planning next mouthful.

Thanks

Night x

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Me too! My first advice - STOP dieting, and Xenical is not your friend - it's another way of 'punishing' yourself for eating - "Look at what I ate - I deserve to feel ill now...." IYKWIM.
There are lots of good online info spots, and books available, two I have are When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies and Overcoming Overeating.

The two key components to working on a binge eating disorder/compulsive eating/overeating IMHO are psychotherapy and NOT DIETING!!! I have been working on my ED for 3 years, and am only just beginning to think of my body as 'nice-ish' and have not dieted once in that time. However I STILL binge, occasionally, but I NEVER EVER hate myself for it, I love myself (most of the time) and try to be sympathetic. I can thoroughly recommend that you get online and seek out help and support. It's out there.

I feel a bit better today thanks Dior but still kicking myself for my lack of restraint.I have been 'good' today and have kept busy so i feel like i am slowly getting some control back,this is the way it goes though.I am going to try and eat healthily now until my holiday in July.

Skittles-Thankyou for replying
I have to diet because if i didn't i would be overweight or obese,so it kind of balances out the binging in my eyes.But i know i am probably in the wrong.

Oh PFNM - It's like a self abuse, isn't it?

You look lovely, but I bet you would disagree. Skittles has some good advice.

Are you able to say nice things about yourself?

Margo lovel,hows life treating you?

The thing is because i have issues with my height if i gain any weight i feel even more cumbersome/giant like.My body on the whole isn't too bad really although i do hate my saggy tum and bingoish wings.

PFNM, ring the eating disorders helpline. I'll see of I can find a link. It was my first step in beating bulimia, and such a big help. I too had episodes where I would just eat and eat, not always throwing up. Now I have some distance, I can see what a terrible state I was in I used to panic if there was nothing to binge on in the house, my thoughts would all involve food and I was just incredibly depressed and lonely. My fear was that noone would believe I had an eating disorder. I think people want to believe that you have to be stick thin to have a problem but its just not true, so many ordinary sized and overweight people have disordered eating, and if they know they will be taken seriously it is often the first step. I was so embarassed to admit I had a problem, but you cannot let food control you in this way, people WILL believe you and the help IS out there when you feel ready to take it

I've IM'd you. Although I'm off to bed now.

I am a binge eater too

I have been for a very long time and it gets worse as time goes on. I am now heavier than I have ever been

I see it as an eating disorder and as self abuse. It is as much use telling me to "eat less" than it is telling an anorexic to "eat more". It's a compulsion, an addiction.

There is some great support over on the BigMoFo's thread, we have been fairly quiet of late but we all have the same issues and sometimes it's just good to chat even though we might not be actively trying to lose weight or combat our addiction.

Keep talking, it's a great form of therapy

Night margo x

littlelamb-But what can the helpline actually do to help me?

Tiger-Thanks i may pop onto the thread at some point.

Have you read The Hungry Years?
William Leith's memior about years of over consumption and battles with weight.

Brilliant insight into binging, why we do it, what can we do about it. Also very funny and intelligent.

Looks like a good book ,i may be tempted to buy it.

Well PFNM, it was a few years ago now, but to just pick up the phone and talk to someone about it is actually a huge relief. At frst it can be a very very scarything to do, but I found it a good first step. They pointed me in the right direction for counselling, and I felt more able to seek help as they kind of let me acknowledge that my problem was 'legitimate' iyswim. It is a big help to have a good GP- if you are not comfortable with yours it might be good to ask to see someone else. Mine was lovely, and set aside an appointment for me every week. YOU have to work at changing the little things, and the first step in doing that is admitting you have a problem (on this thread!) and making a decision. It is your choice whether you let this take over your life, or whether you think, actually I deserve better than this. Because, for whatever reason, you are doing this to tourself. If you can get to the bottom of why you do this, everythign will slot into place and become much easier. But it is incredibly hard to change this kind of behaviour, which is why enlisting the help of others can only be a plus. Do a search of my old threads on the feeling depressed boards, and you will have some idea of what I went through. I read them all a few weeks ago and it was so sad for me to know that I was in such a bad place, but it also showed me how far I have come. You Can do this, and starting htis thread really is a good step forward.

Sorry you're going through this

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Pelvic - I have been a 'top-class' binge eater for much of my life. For the past 4 years, I have been binge free, it CAN be done!
If it's a recent problem, then it will probably be easier to remedy.
I am CAT-able, so if you ever want to CAT me for any advice / help, feel free, I'd love to help if I can (I feel like this is my specialist subject!)

Gerbrajess x

Dior

Littlelamb-Thankyou for sharing your experiences.I dont feel though that councelling would be very available to me or much use.I had 6 or 7(cant remember) sessions of CBT last year for my depression/anxiety and i told the psychologist about my binges and food phobias and she still only gave me the basic number of sessions.I waited for over 12 months for the sessions and it seemed like i was on a production line.I dont have much faith in mental health services tbh as they have let me and my family down in many ways.

gerbrajess-I may well do that at some point, thankyou.

No worries Pelvic - just wanted to let you know I'm around to chat about this if you want...

I'm by no means sorted in life ...one bad habit replaces another ... but I'm certainly through probably 10 years of horrific binge eating...and can give you some advice/support if you need it?

Gerbra x

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Just wanted to pop my head round the corner and let you know that I have a binge eating disorder too. I understand all the things you have been talking about but have no answers I'm afraid. The funny thing with me is that the only time I don't lapse into bingeing, is when I'm pregnant. I then loose weight while pregnant and finally feel vauguely positive about my body but once the baby is born, I feel so physically and emotionally empty that the bingeing comes back with avengance. All the weight comes back on very quickly. Can't understand how to get out of it without continually being pregnant! - not an option