I know what you’re dealing with. I struggled with overeating for a long time. The issue resolved on its own eventually, without any therapy or meds. I read some books on the topic and practically forbade myself to eat anything ouside of three meals a day. So no snaking at all. Because I knew when I wanted to snack, I wasn’t really hungry, so my body didn’t need it. I don’t have adhd, so don’t know what to advise you on that. It must be harder for you to control it. I think the effects of adhd can be softened with certain meds? Not an expert though, you might consult someone about it.
You’ll need to identify the underlying causes of your BED. For example, if you have depression due to your feelings of loneliness, it’ll be impossible to regulate your diet until you manage your mental health. You’ll also need to get rid of all the junk food in your refrigerator. If they’re not there, you can’t eat them. Veggies, fruits,nuts, whole grains, meat – that kind of food should be your daily meals. Allow yourself to eat as much of it as you like. You’ll still quickly notice the difference. One simply can’t gain weight on a healthy diet.
@nemesis I’ve been to a nutritionist and an endocrinologist, but they weren’t really helpful. No snacking is, unfortunately, easier said than done. I don’t like “healthy food” much, and if I restrict the foods I crave, it only gets harder to live.. What books did you read?
@Secret for now I’ve tried this strategy of not having the foods I adore in the house. Doesn’t work. I’ll just go to the store and buy them, even if it’s late evening and storming outside. Healthy diets don’t do me much good either, cause I’m picky about what I eat, and I usually lack motivation to cook my meals. :(
Hi, welcome! You aren't alone in this, many people have developed unhealthy eating habits ever since life has become so hectic and there’s no time for cooking proper food.
It sounds like you've got other issues that are worsening your condition and that might benefit from medications, such as your ADHD. You should consult a psychiatrist or a therapist to find out what options exist. A therapist will also help you with your body image and perception of your worth. You are entirely capable of overcoming this and building a better life for yourself! It only takes some professional guidance and determination. It’s all in your hands.
@ForFloomsSake19 Sorry, it was so long ago I don’t remember the exact titles. I’ve found the one I bought the last - "Breaking Free from Emotional Eating" by Geneen Roth. I’m pretty sure there was a podcast too. I’ll have a look
@ForFloomsSake19 Found it! Brain Over Binge: https://brainoverbinge.com/1-introducing-the-brain-over-binge-podcast It’s a decent podcast and precisely about your problem. I think they also provide a free PDF.
I understand what you mean about disliking healthy diets. I’m not much into that stuff myself, though I love seafoods. At the time when I was managing my overeating, I had to establish certain rules, like tea time, when I allowed myself to drink as much as I wanted and I added some sugar, but without any cookies or sweets. Just hot, sweet tea. It felt strange at first, but then I got used to it and still stick to this habit.
@JellyFish May I ask what medical options there are for ADHD and binging? I’ve never heard of any.
I think I'm kind of getting closer to accepting that I can't stop it on my own. I might go to therapy eventually if I find enough evidence that it can really help with my problem. I don’t want free therapy, it’s usually very shallow, so I’ll need to save up a bit before I can afford a therapist who is good with eating disorders.
@ForFloomsSake19 I know that certain SSRIs are approved for people with BED. They somehow affect both the serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain. I’d suggest asking a psychiatrist about it, to be safe. The downside of fixing it with medications is that your pleasure will have to come from somewhere else. So it’s not a magic solution, and you’ll still need to work with a therapist on your emotional state.
Hi, I don't know how to help you specifically, I can only share what helped me:
- Finding the triggers and working on them. Like you say there is an emotional component to your binging when you feel lonely. That means you need to expand your social circle and spend less time at home where tasty treats are all around. You say you can’t be happy until you lose weight, but that’s the limitation your mind has established. True friends don’t care how you look, they’ll value you for your personality. Nothing is really stopping you from establishing connections right now.
- Channeling that urge into something else. There’s no one size fits all here, you’ll have to experiment. Maybe you can play a computer game or watch your favorite movies each time your brain tries to make you eat something on top of regular meals.
- Brushing your teeth immediately after eating. No, seriously, brush your teeth after every substential meals. It’s a small trick that may stop you from snacking because then you’ll have to brush your teeth again and again, and it’s just boring.
Resisting cravings is a muscle, and you can train it. Keep trying!
Adhd creates problems with impulse control, self regulation. That why it's easy to grab a unhealthy snack without giving it much thought.
There are few ideas of how you can control your binge eating unhealthy snacks. Just adopt any idea/ideas which may work for you:
Be kind to yourself. Dont pressurise and over-stress yourself. It takes time just be patient with yourself.The very act of understanding and acknowledging that you have the problem of binge eating itself means you have taken the first step in the path of overcoming this.