Binge Eating

[Kid Dynamite]

littlesurfer-
Were you using your control of food and food restrictions to block out another problem or to gain an element of control in your life? Most of what I've studied and read up on states that it is common. Just wondering.
I'll let someone else answer the hormonal and genetic questions, but I believe it has to do with a person's blood sugar levels.

 

[fawnmarie]

Um... hormones come into the picture ALOT for people without eating disorders, too. Hormonal binging is a normal reaction that everyone can suffer if they have the wrong information about how/what to eat. Insulin is not really an issue specific to eating disorders. Lots of "normal" people suffer from insulin sensitiviy and carbohydrate addiction (which is really just seratonin addiction) and are able to overcome it with proper information about how to eat. When they DO learn how to eat to control their brain chemistry and their hormonal reactions, they are relieved, because it all finally makes some damn sense. Even if they DO occasional give in and eat that pizza, or cake or whatever. At least they know and accept what is happening to them and how to control it, and it can be controlled and corrected.

People with eating disorders are fighting their underlying obsession with food, and it is NOT so easy for them. There is definitely a psychological factor here, because even when they DO know what's going on, intellectually, it's hard for them to accept. They STILL are compelled to starve and binge, and they constantly have to use their willpower and intellect to override their obsession.

I think every person with an eating disorder who can accomplish this feat and recover is a freakin' hero! To me it's like having dyslexia and reading "War and Peace" ANYWAY. Or having one leg and still signing up for the marathon.

A "norm" that binges, diets and diets and then when presented with a pizza says what the hell, I've been good - and eats the pizza in front of god and everyone. And probably too much.

A person with an eating disorder will feel compelled to starve themselves despite the pizza until they break down and wait til everyone's gone and then eat it all.

So, there is no comparison with normal/hormonal binging and eating disorder binging - with both of them, insulin plays a huge factor, but there is a deep psychological glitch there that they have to fight. Now the glitch may be genetic or traumatic, may be a reaction to something that happened or brain chemistry.

I have never had an eating disorder, and consider myself lucky because of it, because I have come what some might think as damned close. Some people THOUGHT I did, and expressed worry that I was becoming anorexic. But I lacked the psychological glitch. I just had a hell of a lot of control over my eating and a great deal of will. So, binging never became an issue, because I could eat enough when I needed to, and WANTED to. There were no demons sitting on my shoulder every time I picked up a fork. An eating disorder is a little like a demon you can't control, trying to tell you lies about what you are, and who you are, and what your worth is, even though you really know better, and everything else in your life is telling you you're okay. You just can't shut that little voice up.

Like I said, I think anyone with an eating disorder who manages to gag that little bastard is a hero and should be applauded. Not every handicap is visible to the eye.

Fawn

 

[littlesurfer]

Kid Dynamite- For me, my disorder had to do with deprivation (from my loved ones, my home, the sun, a career I was actually interested in, and from FOOD). But it's very individual. Eating disorders come in all degrees. I only had it for short spurts during my time in law school. Moving back home to sunny california helped immensely in my recovery.

I don't know if this will help your friend, but hanging out with him is probably the most valuable thing you can do. While I was at school I had only one friend who didn't give up on me and wouldn't let me keep myself in isolation (believe me I tried). Rather, he would force me to go out on walks with him or just to sit somewhere and chat. If it weren't for him forcing me to have some human contact, then I don't know how things would have turned out. But I know that his constant care got me through school and back home.

Fawnmarie- I absolutely agree with everything you've said. My eating disorder was triggered at a latter stage in my life and was very short lived. I was already confident with at least my intellect at this point. I know a handful of women who are coping with Bulimia at much younger ages. It is a very difficult struggle. But I believe that recovery is possible, even in the most severe cases.

 

[bm2k]

A "norm" that binges, diets and diets and then when presented with a pizza says what the hell, I've been good - and eats the pizza in front of god and everyone. And probably too much.

A person with an eating disorder will feel compelled to starve themselves despite the pizza until they break down and wait til everyone's gone and then eat it all.

This summarises the behaviour of somebody with an ED perfectly. It accurately portrays the shame and suffering the individual feels...

Great post

 

[Kid Dynamite]

Good post Fawnmarie.

 

[Kid Dynamite]

Dealing with the "secretive binge" is a problem. I've left for the weekend and come back to discover that a jar of peanutbutter the guy has had for 2 weeks, that was full when we left, is gone. I've seen the elimination rationale, too. The eater thinks that once this food is gone it won't hurt em, so they eat the rest (ex: a box of cereal, a huge bag of mixed nuts and dried fruit. Seen the guy do this) and try to start over the next day. Then the cycle continues.