Eating Disorders

Eating Disorder Resources

Finding the right help can be hard for those experiencing an eating disorder and the families/carers that are desperate to find their loved one care. I have put together some resources that i found helpful in my journey to full recovery that helped my family understand the complex disease, inspired me to continue with my recovery and gave me some tools that I now use in my practice.

Resources for carers & families:

• NEDC Resource Carers Booklet: https://edfa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/NEDC-Resource-Carers.pdf
• EDFA Eating Disorder Guide: https://edfa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Eating-Disorders-Your-Guide.pdf

Resources for individuals:

Videos & Podcasts

• Recovery Coach: Tabitha Farrah -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa7G1P5WQopVMc9qTSP_lgA?app=desktop&fbclid=IwAR1gsY988weOAvbildEGM2cFlZNHqborb5zQ6l1pEu0GU7qlXsaljg2kZaM
• Recovery Coach- https://eatingdisorderrecoverypodcast.podbean.com/?fbclid=IwAR2xDXU8yiSCCAdnUChrfLq5IWpWJoYTbzKBwPwxGcOfOtDQjc1xr-oCXVY

Books

• 8 Key Steps to Recovery From an Eating Disorder- Authors: Carolyn Costin & Gwen Schubert Grabb
• Life Without Ed- Authors: Jenni Schaefer
• Brave Girl Eating- Author: Harriet Brown

Websites

• Butterfly Foundation: https://butterfly.org.au/
• National Eating Disorders Collaboration: https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-explained/the-facts/eating-disorders-in-australia/

Binge Eating Disorder – Restriction and Over Eating Cycle

Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterised by feelings of a loss of control, constant thoughts about food and episodes of eating large amounts of food in short periods of time or until you feel uncomfortably full.

Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder with 47% of those with an eating disorder have binge eating.

The unfortunate factor of binge eating disorder is that there is a fear of judgement around size, weight and the misconception that the individual does not need help. When in fact, it is a very severe disorder that commonly co-insides with other mental illness such as depression and anxiety.

Examples of a binge:

Sneaking a whole box of cereal and finishing it when nobody is watching.

Buying a large amount of takeaway and consuming it beyond feelings of fullness as you cannot stop.

Eating two blocks of chocolate when alone and not necessarily hungry.

Note: For some individuals large amounts of food is required for sport performance, illnesses and growth requirements. The difference is that binge eating is usually done in private with feelings of loss of control and guilt associated with it.

Why are you bingeing?

• You are constantly yo-yo dieting or not consuming enough calories
• You are skipping meals or not eating consistently to fuel your bodies requirements
• You have certain rules around food, good or bad and feel guilty after eating
• You have negative self talk
• You may have a history of trauma

Do you possess any of these statements associated with binge eating?

1. Do you commonly yo-yo diet? This is where you go on a diet that is very restrictive, you will usually lose weight fast then a binge follows due to feelings of extreme hunger ending in weight gain that you lost.
2. Do you feel guilty and shame when consuming certain foods?
3. Do you have rules around food that label them good and bad?
4. Do you have a history of trauma?
5. Do you have low self-esteem?
6. Do you constantly feel like you want to lose weight?
7. Do you engage in self-sabotaging thoughts or critical negative self talk?
8. Do you skip meals intentionally or unintentionally?

If you answered yes to at least three of the above questions, you may possess possible triggers for binge/restrict eating behaviour.

What Causes Binge-Like Behaviours

The causes of binge-like behaviours can be grouped into chemical, psychological and sociocultural.

Chemical Behaviour

When we do not consume enough food or we restrict the foods we feel like, our bodies will take over and drive us to eat more of that certain food as if it is not available and needs to all be consumed. Individuals that engage in binge eating will usually feel a level of heightened emotions as their brains release feel good chemicals called ‘dopamine’ in massive amounts (can cause addiction) which is followed by the intense feeling of guilt and negative talk after.

Psychological Behaviours

A history of trauma can cause drug addictions, eating disorders, depression & anxiety, binge drinking and other disorders if not addressed appropriately.  Food is a common addiction than many individuals turn to, to deal with their trauma as it initially gives them a feeling of control but is actually doing the opposite and feelings of a loss of control follow. When an individual engages in a binge,  the sensible part of the brain seems to switch off and the impulsive desire to attain a short term reward kicks in which is why it is common to consume comfort foods.

Sociocultural behaviour

The pressure to be slim or look a certain way in today’s society has lead to an increase in binge-eating and other eating disorders. This environment of unrealistic weight and body goals has lead to women and men to avoid certain foods, skip meals and evidently develop intense cravings that lead to a binge. The guilt and shame that follows a binge-eating event may heighten stress levels and repeat the cycle of binge/restriction.

Health consequences of binge eating

Chronic binge eating can lead to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, bone mineral loss, kidney disease and other chronic diseases.

Not only does binge eating lead to these chronic illnesses, the effect on our mental health is huge. Individuals become trapped in the cycle and often engage in behaviours when alone. This can lead to feelings of loneliness, shame, hopelessness.

How can Life For You Dietitian’s Help?

Binge eating disorder can affect anyone and often overeating comfort food and restriction has affected at least all of us once in our life when our stress levels have been high.

It is important to discuss your concerns with someone you trust and engage with a dietitian to seek professional help to begin your journey back to wellness. You deserve to have the life that you deserve and feel in control of yourself.

An Accredited Practising Dietitian can make such a difference to your recovery journey. We provide a safe place to discuss your eating patterns, triggers and goals to finally stop the behaviour. It is important to know there is no judgement. We help debunk food and nutrition misconceptions and work towards healing your relationship with food. We provide insight into why you make the food choices you do, how to accept and love your body as it is and resolve any emotional issues that may be related to your binge eating episodes.

We will guide you, provide support through WhatsApp and Recovery Record and be that person that you need on your journey.

We want you to life the life you deserve and gain back your hunger and fullness signals and feel confident with yourself again.

References:

*https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/eating-disorders-a-z/eating-disorder-statistics-and-key-research/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA6fafBhC1ARIsAIJjL8mv4NfiTNwmUdJzrjFen7mHdWF-_PYcA7Sr9M63CWJLAgSsbu-rBBoaAokmEALw_wcB

*https://insideoutinstitute.litmos.com/course/9328036/module/14645998/Scorm?LPId=0

* https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-explained/types/binge-eating-disorder/