How to Stop Binge Eating
Binge eating is a type of eating disorder that affects a large number of people. Because this eating disorder does not get all of the attention that anorexia and bulimia get, many people are unaware of the dangers associated with this condition and often fail to recognize the fact that they have a problem. Binge eating is a strong desire to eat, that is often very difficult to control, and while feeling negative emotions. People who suffer with this disorder tend to eat very large quantities of food in one sitting, thus feeling as though they have alleviated the pain they are currently feeling. After the person binges, he or she often feels shame or guilt, however these feelings often lead to a repeat of the eating behavior and so the cycle continues. This disorder does not have to take hold of your life; you can change your behavior by making a conscious effort. Here are a few tips to help you overcome binge eating.
Identify The Reasons Behind Your Binging: Binge eating is generally a response to dealing with painful emotions. By eating large quantities of food, you are “stuffing” your emotions down to a manageable level to stop the pain. Binge eating causes you to feel better briefly, for a short term solution to a much larger issue.
Face The Pain You Are Feeling: Find out exactly what is causing you pain. Have you suffered a trauma? Are you being abused in some way? Determining the trigger that is causing you to binge eat is a key step to recovery. Once you are able to face the pain, you can work at diffusing it so that you can head off future episodes of binge eating.
Develop Positive Coping Methods: Rather than automatically reacting to your emotions by eating large amounts of food, try focusing your attention in another direction. For example, try exercising, visiting a friend, taking part in a yoga class, or learning a new hobby. These types of activities re-focus your attention in a positive way that can help you deal with your feelings in a healthy manner.
Take A Break: When you feel as though you have the urge to binge eat, force yourself to take a break, and wait at least fifteen minutes before eating any food. During this break, try other coping methods for dealing with your emotions that do not involve eating. At the end of the fifteen minute period you may find you no longer have the overwhelming urge to binge eat.
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