Binge Eating Disorder

[Lauriebell82]

Has anyone ever had this or known someone who has? What did you do about it?

[CarrieT]

How do you define it? Binge to the point of vomiting? I haven't done that, but I have definitely binge eaten.

 

When I get depressed, I knowingly and deliberately eat things I know are bad for me; fried foods, sweets, etc. But I have never been able to get to a point of binge/bulimia.

 

Fortunately for me, I do tend to "snap out of it" every now and then and I start eating healthier.

 

I'm a food writer, so eating is more than a hobby for me and I often dream and fantasize about various types of food and will go to extended lengths to get them... In many cases, it is hard to stop and I have reached a point of moderation; if I can get what I am craving, I allow myself a bite or two, without eating the whole thing.

 

ETA - I *have* eaten a few multi-course meals (20+ courses) where I ate so much that several hours later, I *did* vomit, but that was not done intentionally, but I felt better after...

[Lauriebell82]

How do you define it? Binge to the point of vomiting? I haven't done that, but I have definitely binge eaten.

 

When I get depressed, I knowingly and deliberately eat things I know are bad for me; fried foods, sweets, etc. But I have never been able to get to a point of binge/bulimia.

 

Fortunately for me, I do tend to "snap out of it" every now and then and I start eating healthier.

 

I'm a food writer, so eating is more than a hobby for me and I often dream and fantasize about various types of food and will go to extended lengths to get them... In many cases, it is hard to stop and I have reached a point of moderation; if I can get what I am craving, I allow myself a bite or two, without eating the whole thing.

 

ETA - I *have* eaten a few multi-course meals (20+ courses) where I ate so much that several hours later, I *did* vomit, but that was not done intentionally, but I felt better after...

 

Thank you for your response. I am talking about binging in the sense that you don't throw up aftewards.

 

So how often would you say you binge? Have you ever gotten treatment?

[Rorschach]

I have good days followed by bad days. I was 261 yesterday morning, I had 2 bad diet days in a row (which is extremely rare and kind of due to unfortunate circumstances) and now I weigh 270.

 

I normally weigh 265 ish at night anyways (natural cycle and all that) plus I'm REALLY full, but it still ****s my diet way up.

 

The weight drops off fast (most of it is just food physically in me), I'll be back down to 261 by tuesday (hopefully go into the 250s this week!) but still.

Edited May 2, 2010 by Rorschach

[CarrieT]

Thank you for your response. I am talking about binging in the sense that you don't throw up aftewards.

 

So how often would you say you binge? Have you ever gotten treatment?

 

No, I have never gotten treatment. I usually binge during severe depressions which have been lessening over the years; although I *have* put on 25 pounds over the past 18 months. I have a very good personal trainer and hopefully having to check in with someone on a weekly basis will help me stay on track. Also, now that it is spring, theoretically it will be easier to eat healthier as the heavy comfort food won't be as desirable as lighter, healthier eats.

 

But I have a maniacal sweet tooth and one of my many food blogs involves doughnuts and THAT is a problem. Now, however, I allow myself a doughnut or two, but I only take a bite or two of each before I throw them away; that way I can taste and review without full consumption.

[Got it]

My mother is a complusive/binge eater. Ice cream is her weakness and she can kill a half gallon in one seating.

 

She hasn't gotten treatment just for that but was in therapy a good portion of my childhood. It is a coping mechanism for greater issues and her way of suppressing her emotions.

 

She has dieted most of my life with Weight Watchers being her go to diet plan.

[cuppa]

I binge when usually I don't eat enough and then one day, just can't stop eating. Usually, I crave salty food during this period.

 

And once a month, I binge like a week before time of the month. I would gain at least 3 lbs during this period (and then 2 weeks later, lose it all). It's a pain to be a woman.

 

I think the best is to ensure that you eat enough, don't starve during the normal days. As far as emotional eating goes, that's tough. I think regular exercise should help as an alternative outlet instead of food but yeah, not sure. I just try not to keep myself stressed out and find a coping mechanism like workouts if certain aspects of my life don't go well.

[Kamille]

I struggled with binge eating as an anorexic teenager. I had cut out all fat from my diet, so I ended up binging on fatty things. The body needs fat to be performant, so adding healthy fats in my diet curbed the binging episodes. Basically I would starve myself and then have an uncontrollable craving for brownies. I once downed half a pan of home made brownies on my own.

 

Things got better once I accepted that I was never going to be a waif and focused on eating healthy balanced meals and enough calories a day for my body type. Basically, dieting made me binge. Once I focused on acquiring healthy eating habits and keeping my body nourished, the bingeing stopped.

 

If you are concerned about yourself, perhaps you could talk to a nutritionist to evaluate your diet. I know you're trying to lose weight. I don't know what kind of diet you're following or if you have regular guidance with it.

[Green]

Do you have a binge eating disorder. Seriosuly if you just eat an entire thing of icecream every once in a while I wouldn't worry about it.

[Lauriebell82]

I don't have binge eating disorder currently, I did in middle school though. I haven't binged in a very long time. I guess you could say I'm in recovery.

 

I have a friend who I feel has binge eating disorder right now. I tried talking to her and she doesn't want to hear it. I don't know what to do, as I know the pain I went through with it and it really helped to talk to someone about it.

[sunshinegirl]

I had (self-diagnosed) binge eating disorder for 4-5 years during and after college; it was fueled almost entirely by emotional stress. I didn't have good coping mechanisms at the time and it never occurred to me to seek counseling or help.

 

I knew my eating habits were whacked and so I tried to address them in various ways myself... I had some success with food journaling, some success with carb-restrictive diets (carbs really fueled the eating), some success with exercise, but ultimately I overcame binge eating when I developed healthier ways of handling emotional stress, AND started having romantic relationships in which my intrinsic worth was seen/acknowledged by men, thus helping to boost my self-esteem.

 

It's been almost 10 years since that time, and my weight and eating habits today are healthy and appropriate. Bingeing -- in the classic binge eating sense of going WAY overboard and feeling like I can't stop -- doesn't even cross my mind when I am stressed out.

[Green]

I don't have binge eating disorder currently, I did in middle school though. I haven't binged in a very long time. I guess you could say I'm in recovery.

 

I have a friend who I feel has binge eating disorder right now. I tried talking to her and she doesn't want to hear it. I don't know what to do, as I know the pain I went through with it and it really helped to talk to someone about it.

 

I think just being there as a friend is enough. Willing to talk and listen and be kind with your friend should do. I understand you've strugled with similar issues so maybe you could just share them with your friend. But past that there isn't really anything you can do.

 

I know this one girl who binges on cokes, she will literaly drink like 7 or 8 cokes when me and my gf go to a resteraunt with her. I really don't think it is my place to say anything.

[laRubiaBonita]

i was a binge eater when i was younger and then evovled into bulimia and anorexia. i have been in treatment, but i am still active in my ED's.

 

i think one of the best helps would be to physically be there with your friend when she has the urge to binge- but that would be a 24/7 duty- which i doubt you have the time for.

 

you can tell her that you ARE there to support her and (if you can) will talk with her if she wants to call you if she feels like she may binge.

 

but everyone's disorder is different, she may binge anytime she eats or it could just be certain foods or types of foods.

 

it is an addiction, so you may also be able to offer her some great resources since that is your professional field.

[shadowplay]

I had a mild version of this when I was 17-20. I used to eat 11,000 calories a day (I kid you not) and then eat very little for the next few days to lose what I had gained. I only gained about five pounds, but my eating was screwed up as hell. Then it miraculously went away. I still have a lot of trouble eating sweets and carbs in moderation, though.

 

My mother had a severe version of binge-eating disorder and bulimia for 15+ years. She would go from 115 pounds to 180 pounds in 6 months. She'd engorge herself on huge cartons of ice cream, massive quantities of sweets. Sometimes she'd lock herself in the bathroom and wolf them down. While her addiction will never go away completely, she's been abstinent from sweets for the last two years and able to maintain a healthy diet.

[Lauriebell82]

Thanks everyone! I used to do the low carb thing in middle school and high school..then I would "go off" my diet and binge on carbs like crazy! I finally stopped denying myself carbs and I got it more under control. I was still overweight but never REALLY overweight like I was when I was binging.

 

I liked the laRubia's idea about her being able to call me if she feels like she wants to binge. Kind of like her sponsor. I suggested she go to Overeaters Anonymous (there is such a thing!) but she said she would be embarrassed to speak to a lot of people about it.

[Star Gazer]

I've binged before... usually when I was feeling stressed and lonely. It was my coping mechanism. I'd order a ton of takeout, just sit in front of the TV, and watch hours and hours of television or movies.

 

Ugh... that wasn't a fun time.

 

I used to do the low carb thing in middle school and high school...then I would "go off" my diet and binge...

 

In middle school you were on a diet? And high school too? WTH for?

 

I really worry about you, LB. You obsess about weight and food a lot.

[dreamingoftigers]

I binge eat everyday. The majority of my diet is binge eating.

[dreamingoftigers]

I have good days followed by bad days. I was 261 yesterday morning, I had 2 bad diet days in a row (which is extremely rare and kind of due to unfortunate circumstances) and now I weigh 270.

 

I normally weigh 265 ish at night anyways (natural cycle and all that) plus I'm REALLY full, but it still ****s my diet way up.

 

The weight drops off fast (most of it is just food physically in me), I'll be back down to 261 by tuesday (hopefully go into the 250s this week!) but still.

 

Can you PM yet?

[Rorschach]

Can you PM yet?

 

Not yet, I believe I'll be able to when I've been here in a month, I think I joined something like april 6th, so less than a week maybe.

[laRubiaBonita]

I liked the laRubia's idea about her being able to call me if she feels like she wants to binge. Kind of like her sponsor.

exactly- like a sponsor, and that way the ball is still in her court and SHE will have to initiate the call

I suggested she go to Overeaters Anonymous (there is such a thing!) but she said she would be embarrassed to speak to a lot of people about it.

i have been to OA, i did not care too much for it. it is run like AA- which i have been to 1 or 2 AA meetiong and i didn;t care for that set up either.

 

there are other support groups though- many outpatient treatment centers have support groups for addictions- some specifically ED's. so that might be an option too, and she wouldn't necessarily have to talk, she could probably just listen and observe- it is always 'nice' to know you are not the only person struggling.

 

but, as you know LB, the food issues are just a symptom of the real problem- so maybe you can suggest individual counseling as a first step.

[Lauriebell82]

In middle school you were on a diet? And high school too? WTH for?

 

I really worry about you, LB. You obsess about weight and food a lot.

 

I have struggled with weight since I was 12 and went on prescription meds. It hasn't been fun. So I know what my friend is going through, it's hell.