I go through periods when I can't stop eating! Even if I am sick to my stomach I keep going.?

Question

I hate myself for being weak. I have been clean and sober for 7 months now. I quit smoking cigarettes 5 days ago. I wish I was eating just "normal" healthy foods. Not ice cream and chocolate. I am not a large person (yet) I know I will become a lazy sloth the longer this continues. Any advice?? Do u all think I have a type of eating disorder? Its just that when I eat I am happy.
Am I crazy or something?

Answer 1

Yes ... it does sound like an eating disorder to me. Possibly could also be depression. I have read that sometimes peeople crave alot of sweets when they are depressed. Talk to a counselor or your regular doctor to see what would be the best treatment for you. Good luck! Kim

Answer 2

No way are you crazy!! But I do think there's an eating disorder developing. By being sober, depending on what substance you had problems with, you crave sugary foods. I've seen it a million times. I saw an animal segment once on Jay Leno a while ago. the zoo keeper brought out the cutest little monkey. While Jay held it, he was feeding it a bottle of something. Every time the monkey looked at the crowd, it squeeked and got really scared. So Jay, even the zoo keeper, would give him the bottle to stop the fussing. The monkey would take a sip, then turn his head away. He wasn't hungry, he was scared. At the start of our lives, most kids in distress/crying were given a bottle first before anything else. It only preconditions us to turn to food for comfort when in a time of emotional crisis. That was exactly what the monkey was being taught right before my eyes, on national TV. Makes you think, huh?
Back to you. Maybe you're dealing with the same issues you were trying to supress when you were using? Whatever you do, don't hate yourself for being what you call weak. I think food is the only thing you know for comfort, mostly for that instant gratification it gives you, just like the drugs/alcohol. Think of it as wood glue to fix a broken leg on a chair. Yes, it will hold for a little bit, but only enough for you to buy some nails or screws, to fix it the real way. Eventually the glue just won't hold up as well. Consequently, you'll wind up on the floor. I know it's easier said than done (especially comming from someone who has an eating disorder, too), but stop being so hard on yourself. You'll eventually get control over yourself, once you find the root of the problem. Good luck, and I hope everything works out okay. It always does. :)

Answer 3

You might have Binge Eating disorder. It is where you continually eat. In this disorder, binging contributes to exessive caloric intake and weight gain. Binge eaters usually choose foods high in calories such as ice cream and cake. Behavior therapy has shown to descrease the frecuency of binging. Clearly you are not very affected by this disorder. In other words, your at the begining of it, which means, it's good that you want to do something about it now. Just try to stop eating so much. I love to eat too so that's not a bad thing, as long as you can control yourself. If this disorder continues to progress, you will gain weight and at worst case, if it continues long enough, you will become obese, and develop disorders like hypertension and diabetes.

Answer 4

You might have an anxiety disorder and/or depression. Sounds like you are eating compulsively. A couple of things happen when a person stops smoking. Their metabolism slows down and they often use a substitute for smoking. This might or might not be the case. Sometimes people will "self-medicate" themselves with food when they are experiencing depression or anxiety. Your primary care provider is a good place to start to see if you can get help for this. Good luck

Answer 5

#1 Play Sports
#2 don't bring your wallet anywhere you can buy food
#3 take a trip to Uganda to see starving children. Your conscience will realize your greediness and make you stop eating
#4 eat only oranges for a month
#5 keep yourself busy outdoors. (its way less depressing tha indoors

Answer 6

well this is a tricky situation. i think the periods of eating is coming from you quitting drinking and smoking. when you suddenly quit something youve done in a routine for a while, your body takes up something else to fill that routine. i think your best bet would be to go to your doctor and discuss this with them.

Answer 7

How old are you? If you're an adult, you either have no self-control or maybe a mental disorder. But if you've been good for 7 months. Good job, keep it up. You've shown you do have self-control, just keep using it.

Answer 8

Hello:-)
I think that you must to find any different hobby, not eating.I think that you eat, becouse may be you are still not find the thing that really make you happy:-)
Just start to look for this thing and will find something really spetsial in you.
Find this thing and even will start to forget to eat sometimes, becouse will think something else, really important for you:-)

Answer 9

When people become alcohol free many times they crave sweets,my ex-husband did this for over one year.Be patient with yourself and proud you are sober,it is an awesome accomplishment.

Answer 10

you are substituting food for cigs and alcohol...try to find a hobby or get another job...something to distract yourself from eating...this happened to one of my friends and she just found other fun things to do with her time and money good luck!!