Binge eating out of control

[Missy580]

Hi friends,

I need some help. Previously I have been very restrictive with my eating by eating healthy and having small meals. I managed to loose a lot of weight through intense exercise and healthy eating. I felt amazing, more alive than ever. Now since starting full time work my whole routine has changed. My eating is out of control, I’m constantly thinking about food & eating throughout the day. Iam eating until I’m so full my tummy hurts and sometimes struggle to breathe as I’m eating so fast the food doesn’t have time to pass through my throat. I cannot stop. I know it’s so bad for me, I don’t have any control anymore. I’m constantly setting up myself up for a good day with healthy food and good intentions but it all goes out the window. It’s never ending. I don’t feel like myself anymore, I’m feeling more and more down each day. It’s affecting me to the point that I don’t even want to leave the house as I feel so yuck with myself. What do I do? How do I get over this horror?

[golden82]

Hi missy,

Welcome. I have been thru episodes of binges in the past. Mainly restricting/ anorexia though. I learned that restricting doesn't help you as cycling between another binge. Also getting down on yourself can lead to another binge. All can be a vicious cycle.

I suggest u keep a food/mood kind of diary for a while maybe a month to see your patterns. Eg what may trigger a binge etc. Also if u have a gp you can trust to talk with about this you may be able to get some counselling help. There is often deeper issues such as self worth at play.

You could phone the butterfly helpline. They never answer but if u leave your number they call u back. Could offer some more help. They have an online group every Sunday night for 1hr which is free and can be okay sometimes depends on the topic.

Try not to feel bad about binge eating, heaps of ppl do it. It is just how u are coping with things and stressors. With time I'm sure it will improve.

Kind wishes to you missy 🙂

[Guest_4643]

hello missy580, welcome. i'm sorry you struggle with this. i also struggle with binge eating and have for years. i haven't received any treatment or really talked about it though. i've tried to eat less and healthier, even tried dieting, but for me that didn't work and made me sick.

i know this may not sound helpful, but as golden said, you could try the butterfly helpline? they deal with eating disorders, eating habits, etc. they have a webchat and i think they have email or phone, if you feel comfortable.

otherwise maybe you could try to see a GP, if you have one, to get a referral for the medicare rebate thing, for eating disorders? i don't know what that would involve, how long it would take, and the type of person you would see though, my apologies.

i struggle with binge eating daily too, and i need some help for myself too. i know how difficult it is and how disgusting and guilty it makes you feel. it's really hard to stop.

i hope you can beat this and find something that works for you, and feel comfortable in your body and your eating habits, etc.

i'm sorry if my answer wasn't that helpful, considering i struggle with it myself and need to look into getting support for it also.

best of luck.

[Gelesa]

Try to identify what triggers your overeating or unhealthy eating patterns. Is it stress, boredom, or certain emotions? By recognizing the triggers, you can start addressing them directly.

[yours_truly]

Hi Missy580,

I’m so sorry that you are struggling with binge eating. It’s definitely such a hard experience and the consequences are never ending. It’s quite unfair how the pleasure in binge eating in the moment is so minuscule in comparison to the overwhelming guilt and self hate we feel after. 

When reading your post i noticed that you mentioned you limited your eating and intensively exercised. I want to start it by saying I know that it worked and i’m happy you had found a time where you were pleased with yourself. However, the reason you probably relapsed harder is because both those methods are not correct or efficient in the long run. intense exercise will wear down the body and cause it to ask for more energy through food and when paired with limited nutrition, the body is going to beg for fats and carbs. That’s when the binging kicks in. I would recommend you talk to a counsellor on beyond blue as they have the tips and tricks and recommended approaches that could seriously make all the difference. 

kindly,

yours_truly