Independent medical expert answers
on psychiatry and psychology

Replacing Overeating with Other Abuses

Written by: Gunborg Palme, certified psychologist and certified psychotherapist, teacher and tutor in psychotherapy.
First version: 22 Jul 2008. Latest version: 11 Aug 2008.

Abstract:

If an overeater stops eating, he/she may start another abuse. It is necessary to be continually on guard against those temptations which attract with instant pleasure or escape in exchange for another addiction.

Question:

If I stop eating, will this not cause me to start replacing overeating with another abuse?

Answer:

That risk certainly exists. People with eating problems sometimes replace them with others. There are many different kinds of abuse, e.g. alcohol, drugs, gambling, smoking, etc. It is necessary to be continually on guard against those temptations which attract with instant pleasure or escape in exchange for future problems. The alternative to abuse is to search for your true feelings and face up to the difficult ones which abuse is intended to suppress. It is up to you to decide that you want to follow the voice of responsibility and not the voice of evasion.

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