Binge Eater

I was bulimic for 8 yrs. It is still something I struggle with every day although I have the purging under control. After doing it for so long I finally realized that I just wanted to be happy with myself and didn't want to do it anymore. My problem is now that I can't control my eating. I was so used to throwing up everything I ate that I ate as much as I wanted. I tell myself everyday that its going to be a new day and I won't over eat but I can't control it. I eat to the point that I feel so uncomfortable and sick everyday. I go to bed at night feeling disgusting and ashamed of myself because of how much I've eaten. It is also hard to sleep because of how uncomfortable I feel. I have put on 8 kilos in 6 months and I know I am getting bigger everyday, I'm now considered overweight, just. The thing is though I don't want this to be about weight for me anymore, I just want to be healthy and be able to control what I eat. I don't want to diet but I don't want to feel depressed about this anymore. I just want to be normal and break this habit. I can't really afford to see a dietitian though so I just need some advice on getting through this on my own.

[Patricia Pitts, PhD]

Dear rarmst,

Congratulations on letting go of the purging behavior!  What an accomplishment!  

Your next step is to let go of the bingeing behavior.  Bulimics have difficulty moving towards portion control.  In addition, bingeing out of control is about managing emotions.  Dieting is not the answer.  Dieting not only does not work; it can actually cause eating disorders.

If you have health insurance, you could seek a psychotherapist who specialized in eating disorders.  If you have limited resources, OA or Overeaters Anonymous is an excellent resource.  Call the OA hotline for meetings close to you.  Books can be helpful.  However, I believe it’s in the support of relationships where individuals can best let go of emotional eating and learn to eat food for what it was intended for to fuel the body.

For more information on Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified or Binge Eating Disorder, visit our website.

Dr. Pitts

Patricia Pitts, PhD
The Bella Vita
Los Angeles, California