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Hi,
Wanted to make a post about this as it is something that has plauged me for 15 years or so and is often an addiction that may seem less serious than others.
I have a very strange relationship with food. I look forward to meals sometimes more than i do meeting up with friends or family. The thought of it keeps me going, and, knowing at some point in the day i can sit and binge eat gives me a strange sense of secutiry in an uncertain world. So i depend on it emotionally (or to cover up emotions perhaps??). I also use it as a weapon against myself. I get compulsions to binge eat and enjoy it so much at the time (there must be major seratonin release of some such 'high' when u overeat?!?), but then feel extremely angry with myself and feel that i am worthless.
If i am dieting and its going well, i think about all the time what i will look like and have a perpetual happy feeling. When i am overeating i just feel angry and dissapointed with myself, and generally wretched.
My weight has gone up and down between 9 and 16 stone (currently about 13 and a half) - i'm 5ft7, since i was 11. I have been practically anorexic at 15, eating around 400 cals a day and obsessively exercising (doing 100 laps at pool, going on a run and doing 2 exercise videos...in one day). As a result my once long and full head of hair considerably thinned and my skin seems to have aged prematurely (i'm 25 but already have distinct lines). I have had episodes of binging and throwing up, although never on a regular basis.
There have been periods where i have lost weight without even trying, simply because the things in my life were fulfilling and i didn't obsess so much about food. But it always comes back. It is like a security blanket that i can't let go of. I've thought about the roots of it and my mum did often use food as a treat in my upbringing, but generally i was happy as a child. Teenage years are always hard and i did become very introverted as a defense mechanism, but i don't know where it all fits in with the eating.
The thing about all of this is that i am not dealing with it. Partly because i don't think of it as a serious issue or health risk. But i know that it must be. When i binge eat i consume massive amounts of cream, cheese, chocolate, and carbohydrates. And at other times i don't eat for practically whole days.
I have been on every diet there is: weigh watchers, scottish slimmers, slim fast etc and have tried many complementary therapies.
Don't know what to do!!
Melissa x
RE: Food addiction
Hypnotherapy shouts at me here. This isn't at Weight Watchers level; it's about figuring out the messages you are giving yourself and getting to the root of why this shows up in food adiction.
I think you have made some very valid points about confusing emotions with food and hypnotherapy could help you unravel what is going on so that you have some clarity about this issue.
Amethyst x
RE: Food addiction
Hi
There are lots of people around the world addicted to food, either compulsive eating in general or one type of food such as suger, white flour, etc, etc.
The good thing is that there is help available and it does work. If you are interested type in 'OA' or 'overeaters anonymous' to your search engine. This is a 12 step program like alcoholics anonymous and it does work, in fact for many people it has saved their lives. There are groups in hundreds of towns in many countries and even on-line meetings, plus it won't cost you.
Good luck.
RE: Food addiction
Alternatively you could try Paul McKenna's CD + book "I can make you thin". I believe that he also runs workshops.
On the topic of hypnotherapy for eating disorders: I've approached hypnotherapists about eating disorders and the impression I've got is that they really don't like treating them - and that if they do they take a lot of sessions, and there is no guarantee that it'll work. I was quoted 6-10 sessions (normally hypnotherapy is 1-4) - and the going rate in Edinburgh is around £60 per 50-minute session. Add another £20/session if they are practising from a medical clinic. It's hence a very expensive process, which may not work.
Whilst the eating disorder has to be addressed, perhaps a better route might be to forget the eating disorder per se and instead focus on your self esteem... or similar. You mentioned that when you were happy you lost weight without trying - so if you could build a strong self esteem (and reduce that willingness to self-abuse with food, and self-sabotage with food, and punish yourself with food etc) then that might help. I don't know... it's just a suggestion.
Looking over what I have written perhaps I should add the caveat that this was my experience with hypnotherapists, here in Edinburgh. Perhaps where you are you'll have a better chance of finding someone who's had lots of experience, and success, treating people with eating disorders.
Good luck!
RE: Food addiction
Thank you so much everyone for your replies! I am just back from holiday and got them today. I will look into Overeaters anonymous greengrass, and possibly hypnotherapy Amathystcave, although I take on board what you say Neukolnn - i too live in edinburgh and i know that hypnotherapy is not cheap. I think it can address self esteem issues, according to a hypnotherapist i know. The point about self esteem makes a great deal and is something i know i need to work on as i have other issues that realte to this such as extreme jelousy.
Thanks again,
Mel x
RE: Food addiction
cravings can have a nutritional component too - chromium and zinc spring to mind as possibel helpers
RE: Food addiction
hi, im new here and this was the first page i looked at on this site and i found it amazing to read other peoples tips on what to in this situation. I currently have a very siilar situation with food, where it will be my best friend... security blanked...healer and its become an obsession.
Just a message to say hi and thanks
JC
xx
RE: Food addiction
Serotonin and dopamine are released when we eat, if you have formed an unconscious link between the rush of eating then hypnotherapy can really help some some people. I'd avoid book or tapes and go for a recommendation from someone you trust.
there are usually underlying reasons why some people get stuck in this sort of behavioral loop, from genetic predisposition (Serotonin and dopamine receptor cover) to various social and emotional.
the good news is many people get much better with hypnotherapy, EFT, NLP etc:D
good luck
RE: Food addiction
i am addicted to milky ways and magic stars. the first thing i do in the morning is get a pack of magic stars. i find it hard to go for an hour without any magic stars. i find it hard to sleep at night if i dont have any and i have nightmares about not having them
can someone give me advice in how to stop myself from needing them?
RE: Food addiction
Hi Melissa rose,
I'm sorry I haven't got time to write you a personal reply tonight, since I very much empathise with your issues towards food. However, most of what I would have written- at least all the vital bits!- are in my reply to this thread here:
[url]Weight Loss[/url]
I wish you all the very best and if you want to ask any questions about the approach or just want to have a 'buddy' or some moral support, feel free to PM.
Love,
Azalia [sm=hug.gif]
RE: Food addiction
i am new today and this is the first post i looked at about 9 years ago became a sufferer of biliemia 5 years ago i came out and got help from freinds and family i to found food on so many different levels so hard. i looked forward to eating but thought i had control on how much i ate when i eventually got help i relised the adiction had control of me there are different levels of food adictions. i went to my doctors after family members took me i was weighed twice weekly and went to counciling and kept a feeling and food diary basically wen you do binge or starve write down how you were feeling at that time and if there were any triggers i found for me it helped deffinatly. it is hard i will never be rid of the adiction but at this time i have control over it and loosing weight through a controlled died with the doctor. i wanted to share coz i know i felt alone wen going through my lows ........you are not alone 😉