I am not a doctor. This is not medical advice and does not replace a medical diagnosis of an eating disorder. If this is something you struggle with, please talk to your doctor to create a plan that works for you. This is simply a way for me to feel more empowered and in control of my body and habits. I want to be candid about my struggles and what my next steps are moving forward.
Something I struggle with sometimes is binge eating at night. I don’t have a binge eating disorder, but I do have some binge eating tendencies. Of course, I don’t like that I do this and it’s not healthy for me. Recently, I have been trying to think of what I can do in moments when I feel like binging. Here are some things I’ve learned and my plan for when this comes up in the future.
There are a few reasons why someone might binge. These can range from low self-esteem to anxiety and depression, to genetics. I had no idea that binge eating could be genetic, but for me that really could be part of it. My dad is an anxious eater and struggles with overeating in general, so it is possible that I inherited some of this from him. I also have had a lifelong struggle with anxiety and depression. Eating can trigger a release in dopamine, making it feel like a good solution when experiencing negative mental health symptoms. Additionally, binge eating can be linked to low self-esteem. For me, if I’m feeling bad about my weight and the way my body looks, I might fall into a feeling of helplessness and decide that it doesn’t make a difference whether I binge or not, since I feel fat anyway. Another thing for me personally is a connection to the munchies. Sometimes I get the munchies after using marijuana products, which is completely normal, but I often let it spiral into something it never needed to be. Sometimes it starts with a craving for something salty and crunchy and I feel that I can’t get enough of it. Being able to identify your triggers is the first step in breaking the cycle and regaining some control of your eating habits.
The moment between first feeling the urge and acting on it is the most important moment. The way you handle this specific moment can completely change the course of the night. I have developed a system to help work through the urge and the emotions around it to prevent losing control.
The first step is to recognize the feeling, without judgment. Thoughts and feelings do not have inherent positive or negative connotations; they just are. When I notice that I am feeling the urge to binge, I will simply accept that it is a feeling I am having at the moment. I will ask myself to identify and name what I am feeling at that particular moment. Then I will check in with my body. Am I really hungry or do I want to eat in response to any particular emotion or situation? If I’m actually hungry, then, of course, I can go downstairs and find something to nourish myself with, in a set portion. If I bring the whole container of whatever food I choose, it will all disappear. If I’m not actually hungry, I have a little list of things that I can do while I wait for the urge to subside. I created a worksheet for myself to walk myself through this process visually.
One thing I like to do when I am feeling this way is to add a Crystal Lite flavor packet to my water. Having that little bit of flavor can help satisfy my craving in a more controlled and healthier way. Another thing I like to do, since this always happens at night, is take some melatonin. The melatonin I have right now comes in gummy form and they are delicious. The serving size is two gummies, and just having a couple of those will not only help me to go to sleep, but it also feels like eating candy. The safety net for that is that since I know that taking too much of any supplement would be harmful, I will never surpass the serving size, so overeating them is not a concern for me. I haven’t tried implementing a breathing exercise in these moments, but it has been recommended by essentially every resource I have looked at, so I added that to my list as well. Lastly, I enjoy journaling and it is good to be able to release whatever feelings have built up leading to this moment.
Another suggestion I have seen is to use coping statements. These are similar to affirmations but are focused on helping you move through the feelings associated with binge eating. I first saw this from the Eating Disorder Center. I picked the ones I liked the best and have adapted them slightly to better fit my situation and needs.
I plan to keep both of these sheets in my room to have on hand when I need them. I laminated them so I could write on the worksheet and reuse it whenever the urge to binge comes up. I’m really excited to try this out. Even just the process of researching this and putting together a plan has helped me feel a much greater sense of control over this situation, which is a nice feeling. I’m looking forward to trying this out so I can treat my mind and body with respect and care during these hard moments.
If this is something you struggle with, you are not alone. Please ask for help and support; there is no shame in doing so. You deserve to live a long, healthy, happy life.
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