Psychology Free Online Medical Advice

Eating Disorder Management: Stopping Compulsive Eating

Written by: Gunborg Palme, certified psychologist and certified psychotherapist, teacher and tutor in psychotherapy.

First version: 22 Jul 2008. Latest revision: 22 Jul 2008.

Question:

Answer:

You have to face a long and difficult struggle in order to cure your eating disorder.

Consider how you will eat and manage food when you are better. Begin now and eat as though you are already cured. However, since your psychic strength has not as yet been sufficiently developed to manage your problem, you may return to your old habits again. But don't give up! Carry on trying. Keep a record of the number of normal meals you have every week and you will then see how successful you are becoming.

Every time you fail, work out a plan for preventing this particular problem from happening again, e.g., if you don't buy any cheese, you won't be able to devour all of it during the evening.

Never give up, even though it may seem hopeless. If you fail, gather new energy and try again.

If you suddenly find yourself in a compulsive eating attack, try to listen to your real feeling immediately. Throw away all junk food and search instead for the real feelings which you experience as hunger. More.

The aim is to:

1. Stop starving. Eat when you are hungry and need nourishment.
2. If you regurgitate your food, stop regurgitating. If you continue vomiting your food then your compulsive eating attacks will continue and you will never get well.
3. Eat as a response to physical hunger and not for emotional or other reasons.
4. Eat food which gives you satisfaction, not junk food which only confuses the body and gives neither nourishment nor satisfaction.

Sources, references