What's going on with me?

Hi Dr Pitts,

I'm relly confused about me, my eating and my anxieties around them. I lost 7.5 stone in less than 9 months and felt prety in control when eating very little and excercising very hard. Now I seem to have just lost it. I can't stop bingeing and then taking laxatives and I'm forcing myself not to be sick or make myself sick. Is it usual for someone to have these issues and want to eat everything in sight that's small enough even though it's not food or is that something you've never heard of? In between binges I usualy compleyely starve myself but I'm also losing control of that now and can't go without a binge for very long. I'm so unhapy right now and I'm struggling to go on with wanting to live as I'm so angry with this erratic life I'm living all around food and weight.

mcjay

[Patricia Pitts, PhD]

Dear mcjay,

You’ve lost a dramatic amount of weight in only 9 months.  When a person restricts food intake and exercises a lot, they set themselves up to binge physiologically and psychologically.  Bingeing leads to laxative abuse and restrictive eating.   It’s the out of control behavior that I have found most painful for those who suffer from eating disorders.

You need support in learning how to eat balanced meals, exercise responsibility, decrease your depression, manage big emotions, express feelings and needs, learn effective coping skills, practice interpersonal skills, and address spiritual needs.  It’s never just about the food.  Seeking therapy or self-help 12-step groups can support you in this difficult time.

To learn more about binge eating disorder and bulimia, visit the bella vita website.

Best,

Dr Patricia Pitts
The Bella Vita
Los Angeles