Falling Off The Wagon.... Again

[ELK]

I HAVE A BINGE EATING PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN SEEING A COUNSELOUR AT AN EATING DISORDER CLINIC FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND HAVE GONE FROM DAILY BINGES TO WEEKLY SOMETIMES BETTER.

 

THE PROBLEM IS I AM HAVING MARITAL PROBLEMS AND AM SLIPPING BACK UNDER. FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS I HAVE BEEN BINGING AND HAVE BEEN PLANNING MY NEXT BINGE FOR TOMORROW. I AM DEPRESSED AND AM FEELING LIKE I DID WHEN I FIRST SOUGHT HELP.

 

A BIG PART OF ME REALLY DOESN'T CARE, AND RATIONALIZES MY BEHAVIOR TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE NO BIG DEAL. A SMALL PART OF ME KNOWS I AM ONLY HURTING MYSELF AND CREATING MORE DEPRESSION AND STRESS IN MY LIFE.

 

I NEED SOME ENCOURAGEMENT TO GET BACK ON TRACK. MY HUSBAND JUST DOESN'T GET IT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN ADDICT. "JUST DON'T DO IT" DOESN'T CUT IT. READING THIS FORUM REALLY HELPS TO KNOW I AM NOT ALONE IN MY STRUGGLE. THANK YOU!

[sportsloving]

You need to take care of You. You shouldn't give a flying hoot about what anyone else does or says, you have a disease, you need to do all you can to overcome it.

 

I really wish you well, and I hope you think better of tomorrow. Remember, tomorrow can be your starting point. Only you and you alone can do this, and if you ever need support, PM.

 

Please take care of yourself.

[moimeme]

You can do anything! Believe it!

[brashgal]

Are you going to counselling with your husband to work on your marital problems? Maybe if you are able to take some kind of action in that way you'll feel less out of control and less like binging.

 

What are some of the 'tools' that the eating disorder folks have recommended you try when you feel a binge coming on? Try to keep those in mind and use them.

 

I hope today is a better day - I struggle with this also, it is a battle.

[ELK]

Thanks for your encouragement. Things are getting a little better, but I still feel out of control at times.

 

My husband and I were seeing our Pastor but because of our jobs, ect..., we haven't made it a priority. I am trying to take it a day at a time.

 

My counsellor has been having me work on trying to do something other than binge when the urge comes on. Also, to keep reminding myself what it feels like after a binge, and how it seems to set off further binging. I have tried to keep "binge foods" out of our home, mine are usually sweets, and that has helped some. I am not usually one to go out to get food when the urge comes on. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but it is a forced effort at times, and alot of times the binging prevails.

 

What are some things you try to keep on track? I'd like to hear what other people are doing to help themselves.

[Karlise13]

I am a recovered bulimic.

 

Some of the things that helped me were;

 

*Keeping a food diary. Writing down everything I ate everyday helped me feel control

 

*Daily excercise. Helped me manage the stress.

 

*I tried hypnotherapy. I went several times. I'm not sure for certain if it worked, but the year I tried hypnotherapy was the first year I went more than 6 months with no bingeing.

 

*Sticking to a low-sugar diet. Eating sugar made me just crave more sugar.

 

*When I had the urge to binge I'd sometimes rinse my mouth with mouthwash or brush my teeth. I usually didn't want to binge when my mouth felt 'clean'

 

*Eating six small meals per day. That way I felt less bloated after meals. When I felt really 'full' I used to want to binge

 

*Take a vitamin. If you are deficient in nutrients you might want to overeat.

 

*Make sure you get at least 30 minutes of sunlight per day. It helps boost serotonin levels.

 

Hope this is helpful

[pandoras box]

i am "recovered" from an eating disorder too, including bingeing/purging & restricting. the worst thing is the guilt, but you push it aside before a binge and say "oh, it doesnt matter..."

 

maybe try setting some rules for yourself and relate them to your partner, like first and foremost: DONT KEEP TRIGGERING FOODS IN THE HOUSE!!!! i know thats a tough one if you dont live alone because you feel like you're depriving your family of foods they can eat in moderation, but if they want you to be healthy they'll understand, and thats whats important.

 

also, maybe set up a plan on when you feel like bingeing, find something else to do, and if you still cant control it, call your partner or counselor or a friend, or find someone to go for a walk with you.

 

eating a lot of smaller meals helps me, too.

 

since you plan your binges ahead of time it sounds more serious than what i've dealt with, but hope this helps.

 

oh also, i read a book called "Locked Up for Eating Too Much" by Debbie Danowski, its her book on how she recovered from binge eating.

 

good luck!