There are obviously many problems associated with binge eating disorder- I mean, the word disorder is in the name, right? But, what is the number one problem with binge eating disorder?
Well, to put it frankly, we need food to live.
But isn’t that obvious?
Yes, it’s completely obvious, but I don’t think many people see the gravity of the situation. You see, unlike other addictions, we food addicts can’t live without the very substance we are addicted to.
Think of a drug addict abstaining from almost every drug. How would that work?
Now think of an alcoholic who thinks he or she can drink only beer and still be in recovery. Um, no. That’s not how it works.
And then there’s us, the food addicts.
Handling the Explanation
It’s not only difficult but embarrassingly so, to try to explain to someone why we can’t eat a certain food that is offered to us. No one truly understands except our fellow addicts.
Would you question someone as to why they don’t want a drink after they tell you they are an alcoholic?
When I tell someone I can’t eat a certain food and try to explain, I get strange looks and confusion, rarely any sort of understanding.
In the past, I’ve lied and said I’m allergic to certain foods that I can’t eat normally. But, in a way, I am allergic to the foods I eat compulsively. I have an “exaggerated response” to food that is “without comparable effect on the average individual”.
It’s a slippery slope as to whether we should lie or tell the truth, but then feel obligated to explain the addiction. This is not something I’m willing to tell everyone that offers me food, although I’m fairly open about it. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s part of who I am. However, there’s a time and a place for everything.
There are a lot of people who aren’t aware of what this is, and who would never understand, no matter how hard you try to explain.
What’s the Difference?
Everyone with binge eating disorder cannot begin to explain to a “normal” eater the complexity of the disease.
The foods we are able to eat sanely change over time. Some foods we will never be able to eat again because we know they lead to a binge. Every. Single. Time.
The difference between binge eating disorder and every other eating disorder is that ours is an addiction, and the difference between our addiction and other addictions is we need our substance to live.
Even when we don’t eat the problem foods, the foods we can eat can become problem foods and vice versa.
We absolutely cannot live without food to survive on this earth. We can’t control this basic need.
Our mind is constantly working against us. We’re fighting an uphill battle and our lives depend on recovery.
Week 2 Plan
I gave up sugar drinks this week. I’ve been trying to keep my mind as busy as possible. Yesterday I had a slip. I recognized that I was about to slip, but I did it anyway. It wasn’t a bad one, and I was ok with myself afterward, but while I was binging, the self-repulsion came back full force.
This disease is relentless. I’m so happy to be working toward recovery again. Nothing is going to stop me this time. Nothing.
My weight loss is not a race, it’s a journey-a new way of living. It’s like training for a marathon. I have to start out slowly and little by little train, like a runner.
I’m slowly cutting out sugar right now while simultaneously working on only eating when I’m hungry and not overeating.
This is the real deal.
That’s my plan for now and what I can handle for my immediate future.
I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again. The hardest part is the beginning- the training. Unlike a marathon, however, this race will never end.
In order to live, I have to keep running.
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Read next:
- Eating Disorders: Everything You Need To Know
- 19 Alternatives to Eating (When You’re Not Hungry But REALLY Want To Eat!)
- 11 Tips for Compulsive Overeaters
- How To Deal With Food Addiction Relapse
- The Truth About Binge Eating Disorder
- The 5 Best FREE Apps For Eating Disorder Recovery
- Quiz: Are You a Compulsive Overeater?
- Giving Up The Scale: One Small Step Toward Recovery
- 18 Life-Changing Lessons Learned From My Eating Disorder
- Where To Turn When You Need Help For An Eating Disorder
