Hello everyone,
I hope this week has treated you well.Today I’ll be talking about the third, final and most common type of eating disorder – Binge Eating Disorder. I previously wrote about Anorexia and Bulimia – both equally serious conditions.[box type=”shadow” align=”alignright” width=”300px”]Confessions of a Binge Eater

“I cannot remember exactly when the problem started. I remember I was studying abroad and was away from my family. I’m not sure exactly if that had anything to do with it but I’m sure it didn’t help.
I’m not fat by any means, I’ve always been called “thick” in the best way possible but I never remembered a time where I truly felt comfortable with my body- despite the compliments.
I always had a problem eating in public – as I felt fat and that maybe people would judge me.
I was always embarrassed, even around my closest friends. For example, if we ordered a pizza, everyone would take one piece and chill and drink and I always wanted another- but was too ashamed to take it so I wouldn’t be thought of as the “fat one.”
It started out with small things like that. It then got worse very quickly- I realised I was eating to feel better about everything. I ate when I had a bad day at work, if someone got me upset, if my friends wouldn’t answer the phone. Ironically, I mostly ate when I looked in the mirror and hated my body. You would think that would make me want to eat less, yes? Wrong! That terrible self-image and low self-esteem just fuelled my eating more.
I remember going to class in the morning and be so anxious by the end of the day to go home and eat- pure junk at that. It was whatever fast food joint that was closest to my house.
I would also go to the supermarket before home to pick up my favourites – loads of chips, chocolate and ice cream. Of course, I always hated myself after bingeing so I always told myself that I won’t do this again tomorrow. That means, I never bought enough for the next day. Therefore every single day I went to the super market.
I would mostly see the same cashiers every day, so I started to go out of my way to different grocery stores so I wouldn’t feel judged. Sometimes I would go to two in one day as I couldn’t buy everything in one place- again because I was embarrassed. I remember one time my roommate came home early and saw all the stuff I bought – I had to lie and say it was for the week and not just for tonight. Of course, I ate it all that night and had to replace some of the exact items the next day so she wouldn’t notice I ate it all.
I remember when things got really bad. I started to feel really sick, lazy and had a belly ache all the time- of course because of the amount of food I was consuming. I came up with a plan that would allow me to eat more and not feel so physically ill. I started smoking marijuana, or weed. I had smoked it a few times before and I remember it gave you the “munchies.” I literally couldn’t stop eating so this helped me to easily consume more food.
This went on for a long time- a few months I would say. I smoked weed daily so I could eat more and more.
I remember when I realised this couldn’t continue. I had completely hated myself and everything and everyone around me. I knew I needed it to stop. I tried everything- dieting, eating healthier, stopped smoking the weed- everything. Sometimes I was successful – I would go like 2-3 days without bingeing. However when something stressful happened, I was right back where I started.
The self – hatred became so much that was willing to resort to anything to stop eating and lose weight. That’s where the cocaine came in. I had read somewhere that cocaine stops you from eating – so I tried it. It worked but I also wasn’t sleeping because of it and I felt very sad almost every morning. I cannot tell you how much I hated myself at this point.
I didn’t know what to do. I was in a downward spiral and a vicious cycle.
I decided to go to group meetings – particularly Overeaters Anonymous which did help. However, I finally decided to move back home and get the best support I need. While there are no such meetings in Guyana, I saw regular counsellors and got the help I needed. I’ve been home for about four years now and I feel almost fully recovered. If I have a very bad day, I do tend to eat more than I should, which just tells me this is a long journey… but I’m getting better every day.”
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An individual suffering from Binge Eating Disorder will uncontrollably eat large amounts of food without the purging (purposely throwing up) that a Bulimic will do. Therefore, this group are more likely to be overweight or obese. It usually begins in late adolescence or early adulthood and like other eating disorders, is more common among females than males. The bingeing feels comforting at the time as it is usually a way of coping with stress, anger or sadness. However, the binge always results in feelings of regret and self-loathing. Those feelings are then dealt with eating again- it’s a vicious cycle.
We all overeat from time to time – on holidays or birthdays or some of us eat to deal with certain emotions/situations. For example, if I am very stressed, I wouldn’t touch food but if I’m very bored, food becomes my companion. Whatever the reason we overeat, we know that feeling don’t we? That of laziness, regret and discomfort. Well imagine feeling like that every single day.

The media actually tends to make fun of this serious condition. A notable instance is the “Fat Bastard” character from the Austin Power series. He is known for saying “I eat because I’m unhappy and I’m unhappy because I eat.” Almost everyone who saw this probably laughed (myself included) but it is conveying a serious message.

Binge eating disorders cause serious physical, psychological and social issues such as heart problems, high blood pressure, drug abuse, complete isolation, suicidal thoughts and so much more.

A sufferer will constantly think about food, and when there is a chance to eat, it is done uncontrollably, usually in secret and until they feel sick. They feel ashamed after every time they eat. There are constant feelings of guilt, stress, embarrassment, disgust, self-hatred and again, these feelings are dealt with by consuming more food.
Like every other mental illness, there are several contributing factors. Firstly, I believe it’s due to the social pressure to be thin these days- it’s exhausting and completely unrealistic how society expects women (and yes, sometimes men) to look.
Secondly, binge eating is common when there is a pre-existing mental illness such as depression, self-harm and high anxiety. The binging is used as coping with these disorders. Persons with a family history of binge eating disorder are also more likely to develop it- for example, if your mother or father suffered from it, you are more likely to. Emotional, physical and sexual abuse are also common causes.

How do we treat Binge Eating Disorder?
My first advice when it comes to any mental illness is always go to your nearest health centre to voice your concerns.

I’m not going to lie, overcoming binge eating is extremely difficult, but it is possible. It is one of the most difficult addictions as you cannot remain completely abstinent- we need food for survival. Therefore, a healthier relationship with food needs to be developed.
That means, one needs to pay attention and identify the triggers that may cause them to eat- stress, sadness, loneliness, fear etc. – and find other ways to deal with these emotions. Keeping a food diary (writing down everything you eat and how you feel before and after) will help to see patterns emerge.
When these emotions and patterns are identified, it’s time to find healthy replacements to manage stress and increase effective coping mechanisms. For example, make time for exercise, get good sleep, pick up a new hobby or socialise more. Avoiding temptation helps a lot. This means not keeping excessive amount of food in the house. Find activities to go out and do – a common reason for over eating is boredom.
I found it very difficult to convey just how serious this disorder can be so I have included an anonymous story of a recovering Guyanese binge eater. Thank you so much for sharing your story with me.

Thank you for reading and please send in any topics to caitlinvieira@gmail.com. Also please remember when you can come see me.

Georgetown Public Hospital :Monday- Friday – 8am- 12pm
Woodlands Hospital: Outpatient Department
Drug and Alcohol group meetings – Mondays 4:15
Good mental health group meetings- Wednesdays 4:15
Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!