i cant stop eating

[grl]

im addicted to food. i don't mean to trivialize the real addiction issues people face, but i genuinly feel addicted to food. and fizzy.

i go on these binges where i eat like 6 big mas and fries and chips and 2 l of coke and pizza all in one meal. it's not like an eating disorder, because i don't force myself to throw up afterwords. i mean, sometimes i literally eat till i throw up, but im never shoving fingers down my throat willing myself to be sick. but i also cant stop. its a dumb thing to complain about when there are people with no food & im sooking about not being able to stop eating

i dont even enjoy the food, i rarely even taste it that much anymore, but all day i look forward to it, its like im so extremely stressed and cant relax untill i have my fizzy. its really the only thing that makes me happy. it could be 10 at night but i cant sleep untill ive had it. its gone from a few times a week to basically every night. the only thing that sort of works is to completely avoid all food for like 3 days, but then of course i get really hungry and the cycle repeats. i drink upwards of 2l of diet coke a day and i absolutely hate the taste but i just cant stop.

i dont usually sleep till like 4am but i havent slept in a couple days and by like 10pm tonight i was so tired and ready to just be asleep but i just could not stop myself from going to mcdonalds (i hate mcdonalds) and buying 4 burgers and 4 fries and drinks and coming home and eating it all in like half an hour.

i know it could be just bad restraint, but i know what bad restraint is, ive been crap at eating healthy my whole life but this just feels so different. like, ive never been one to say "mmm yea give me apple instead of chips yum" but ive also never been the "ill just had 2 family size pizzas and a subway for a snack" untill now.

ive been trying really hard to eat healthy and drink water (doesnt last very long) & i figured that might stop me but it doesnt. so now my diet is usually nothing all day and then 2l of coke at night and then binge the next night. sometimes i try not to eat for a few days to balance out the binging and i just drink fizzy for energy

its not even an apetite thing because im rarely get hungry anymore, unless i go for a couple days without eating , and i still binge even after ive had a days worth of relativly healthy satiating meals.

[Narniakid]

Hi grl, welcome to the forums and thank you for sharing with us.

I am sorry to hear about your struggle with food. As someone who battles with my weight also, I can totally relate to the love-hate relationship you seem to have with unhealthy food. It sounds like you've been dealing with this for quite a while - have you spoken to a GP or doctor about it? A poor or unbalanced diet is not only bad for your body physically, it can cause serious anxiety and mental health issues as well, and I urge you to speak to a professional about what you're going through.

If I may ask, are you at work or school? I find that during stressful periods in the workplace or during exam time I tend to eat much worse than I would like to, using convenience and stress-relief as an excuse.

Get back to us soon and please consider talking to one of our professionals or visiting your local GP - everyone needs a little help sometimes and it will do you a great deal of good in the long run 🙂

Crystal

[Kathryne]

Hi

Welcome to Beyond blue forums.

I understand where you are at. There have been many studies undertaken on the effects of Coke on brain function (as well as other body functions) I used to drink coke zero until one day I just stopped the headaches and withdrawal symptoms were horrific, however , its now 4 years without a coke and it was well worth the initial pain. If you must have a fizzy drink have you thought about lemonade , or other flavours. Kirks drinks provide a good range.

Mac donalds easy and readily available. Could you consider having at home materials to make your own burgers they could be a healthier options.

Why don't you sleep until 0400am? Then what time do you get up.

It is important for healthy body function to have healthy sleep patterns .

As Crystal has suggested have you saught help from your gp . Decide which area you want assistance with , sleeping, eating, ?? and deal with that area first .

Hope this has helped

Kathryne

[Zeal]

Hi, and welcome to the forum

I have been through a tough period with eating issues too, and it can certainly be frustrating and upsetting. While no two people have the same experience, I can relate to this inability to stop eating. I overate and binge-ate food in Year 12 (2010) and the year afterwards, and was then diagnosed with an atypical eating disorder in 2012.
I have been back to "normal" with eating for the past few years. I sometimes overeat (not binge eating), but slight fluctuations in eating are fine (no one is perfect). What helped me gain back control was seeing my doctor, and addressing the underlying issues and emotions underlying my eating disorder.

Your binges are virtually out of your control (not your fault), and sound as though they are making you feel unwell physically and mentally. The fizzy drink would unfortunately be worsening things, as it's very sugary and will make your blood sugar levels spike. You are not alone in this. In order for the binge eating to improve, seeing your doctor (GP) is essential. They can give you guidance and refer you to another professional if necessary. Only once the underlying reasons/triggers for the binge eating are identified will you be able to start gaining some control back. It will take time, and there will probably be relapses (this is normal), but it will be very much worth the effort. Please make an appointment with your doctor soon, so you can start getting the help you need and deserve.

I hope something I said has been helpful! It would be great to hear back from you 🙂

Best wishes,

SM