Has Anyone Actually RECOVERED From Binge-Eating Disorder/Bulimia? MOTIVATION PLEASE

I know it's a stupid question because I'm sure there are those of us here who have recovered from it, but I really could use some advice from someone because I am finding it SO DIFFICULT to stop.  I binge about 1x a week (lately), usually because someone unexpectedly decides to take me out to eat or I end up in a social situation where I can't help myself.  It starts out with me eating more than I had planned to eat, and then I end up stuffing myself past the point where I feel sick.  I used to purge, also, but it never really kept the weight off in the past (vicious cycle).  The weight I gain from the binge (usually 5,000 to 10,000 calories!) comes right off in about a week or so, and I'm already at a healthy weight, but every time I seem to make some progress, I undo it with a binge.  I have 10 lbs I really want to lose by summer and it has been so incredibly discouraging dealing with this problem.  I've been seeing a nutritionist for months now, but even though I've matched my calorie intake with my activity level and haven't been starving, I still do this every week or so.  I want to be able to visit with my family and not binge, or go out to eat with a friend and not feel so bad about it that I screw it up with a binge.  I feel so depressed and hopeless afterwards; I just binged on Sunday and I spent all day Monday in bed; didn't even bother getting up to dress myself.  How have you guys broken this habit?  It seems like it is beyond my control.  

I am a recovering bulimic/binge eater so I can really relate to your feelings of being out of control, frustrated, depressed, etc. . .

I would switch now from the nutritionist - it sounds like you know how to eat healthfully when not binging - and start seeing a therapist who has experience treating binge eating, or you can try and deal with it on your own using Christopher Fairburne's book, "Overcoming Binge Eating."  It can be a "messy" process and I would really encourage you to find someone who can help you. 

Now to answer your question: Has anyone actually recovered from binge eating?  I would say I am still recovering, but have a whole new way of thinking about food and my body.  I am no longer obsessed with thoughts of food all day every day.  I eat in a more structured way now - and when I slip up, I just let it go and move on.  No more black and white thinking, which it sounds like you're dealing with.  (Most of us bingers are pros at it!!)  I would be very interested in knowing what your internal dialogue is preceding and during a binge.  

So, the answer is, YES - people do recover and so can YOU!!  Either get help or at the very least get the book I mentioned.  There are too many components in recovering to mention here,  but if you have specific questions, let me know.

 

I overcae a bit of ana, and was normal but have fallen into the binging xone just recently. I'm going to be it tho! I have to :(

But I'm scared too. I am worrieed i'll never be rid of it. I wish i never started counting cals sometimes.

Are you under any other stresses? I know this makes it worse.

bjben:  Thanks for the book recommendation and the encouragement!  I reserved it at a local bookstore; I read the first few pages and it looks like it will really help.

red_herring:  Yeah, I am typically under a lot of stress; more so lately than usual.  Also, I started out anorexic for about 6 months before it turned into bulimia.  

Maybe I should switch therapists to one who knows more about bingeing; I don't feel like I'm really getting anywhere with my current therapist as far as the bingeing behavior goes.

I'm bulimic since I was 11, I'm 16 now and I also have anorexia now. Since my mom found out about my "binging/purging cyrcles" she told me to stop purging and learning to cook healthy meals, so I couldn't feel guilty about them. My binges are not real binges, they consist in eating something I don't usually allow myself to eat (rice, pasta, ice-cream, etc.), no matter the amount of what I had. I got anorexia and I learned to control food instead of let food  control me. I don't eat normally, which is not good, so I'm not telling you to be anorexic so you couldn't binge, hell no... My advice is to ask yourself when you're feeling "dangerous": Do I really need this BIG amount of food? Do I really want to eat all of this? How am I gonna feel after eating all of this? Why do I have to do this?...     It all depends on you, because you need to stop having such pathological relationship with food; you don't deserve that. I stuck this to my mind and I've been a lot better. I try to not eat things that can make me guilty/uncomfortable, so I avoid purging, which was killing me slowly. Now I'm working on having at least 1000 cals. a day, because I usually have around 300 =/ or less. But as they say... step by step.

Research for "emotional eating". Some advices could really help you.

you'll never really get rid of the thoughts you have, and you'll have the urge come up every now and then... but i'd like to think i'm pretty much cured... i don't even think of purging as an option anymore...

good luck! if you want to talk about it more, or if you ever need support/motivation, feel free to add me!!

i think the most important thing in the recovery process is to get a good therapist!! :)