Diabetes and binging on food

Erin:

Thank you for sharing your knowledge on this issue. You are 100% correct in your answer and advice. I read this with interest because my closest D friend struggles daily with the same issue of food versus diabetes.

Thank you too, EGirl, for sharing your story. It takes a lot of courage to do so and to notice and admit that there is a problem. I urge you to get the help that you need, stay with it and know that we have your back. I very much admire your bravery.

Brian Wittman

Hi Egirl. I see this is an oldish post and I didn't comment too much at the time as everyone else had said some great things. But reading back through it, I want to make a couple suggestions. If money is an barrier to getting therapy (and there are no free or sliding scale programs in your area) another option is OA, Overeater's Anonymous. It's a great program and there are free meetings on a daily basis in any good sized town. If there aren't any in your area, or you're nervous to go, they also have meetings online. Though that's a good starting point, I recommend live meetings if you can. You can also ask for a sponsor who is someone who will work with you one on one. I don't attend meetings anymore but they were a great help and support for me when I was first getting into recovery from my own eating disorder. There may even be meetings specifically geared to people with D by now, though you will certainly meet some of there are not. I just celebrated 18 years of recovery after 30 miserable years with food issues, so you can do it! Don't hesitate to contact me one on one.
Zoe

i just read Zoe's responce about OA meetings. As i said in my other reply, i deal with anorexia. However, i too went to OA mtgs to help me find a support group that delt with food disorders. i found a sponcer, who is like a supportive guide who helps you to navigate your way thru the challenges of discovering a healthy way of life, and my entire world changed. even though i was not binging, i was starving, i found that issues about food were the real problem i needed to address.

i suggest that you GOOGLE Over-eaters Anonymous and find some meetings in your area. even if none have anything to do with D, at least you will find a place for support.

best wishes, Daisy Mae

I just realized I forgot the second thing I wanted to share. Eating disorders are about so many things and the weight gained or lost is only a symptom of deeper issues; even food is only part of the story. Many of us spent years gaining and losing weight. When I got my recovery, I had to totally let go of losing the weight as I realized that dieting was a trigger for me and part of the cycle of my ED. (be really strict for awhile then feel deprived and binge). I finally decided that I would set aside my desire to lose weight for awhile and focus on the craziness that my life had become. That's how I was able to get recovery, when I realized it wasn't about the weight.

i am on board with U 100%, Zoe. i have struggled w/ ED since i was 16 in high school. now i am 48 yrs old, and it is still difficult for me to eat healthily. i am 5'4" and weigh 108lbs. i look healthy. inside my crazy brain, however, my mind tells me i should lose more weight, due to "body dismorphia" but i talk about it with my therapist and others like myself (not that any of them R D). for me, the ED is about claiming control over chaos and anger. when i starve myself, i feel like no one can hurt me, my feelings, etc. i feel "High" and omnipotent. growing up in my household life was insane. my mother is an Abstainer, while my father is a glutonous pig who will eat until tomorrow if given the opportunity. Also, i am adopted, so i never had much connection with a blood relative who could indicate my physical developement. i never say i am cured; i just say that i am in remission, and its just one day at a time.

In my experience, help is called for and I think it would help you in many ways.
eventually making you "feel" balanced. There is no reason to keep feeling that way.
My primary care MD believes balancing my brain chemistry makes his job -My Health
better all around
Take care

EGirl,

Your post touched me personally because I can totally. Relate to it. While I'm not in the best place to be handing out advice on managing your diabetes (because I am in a similar place as you at the moment), I still wanted to reach out. 13 months ago I lost my Mother and things went even further down hill. Life was a (still is some days)- a mess. I think it's a great idea to look into online grieve forums if insurance is an issue for you. Insurance was an issue for me also when I wanted to go to therapy. There was no way I could afford a $60 co-pay at each visit. I found a hospice in my area that offered free greive counseling, so I went there. It didn't matter that my Mom was not a hospice patient. Maybe there is something like that around? There are also groups called "Motherless Daughters" that are nationwide. I'm sorry about the loss of your Mother. You'll be in my thoughts.

Hey, since my diabetes, my relationship with food also has changed a lot... BUT the question issss: did it change because of the diabetes OR is my diabetes just a triggering factor? Now I am taking some therapeutic sessions and I must say that it's really paying off! I really hope you'll also find a good therapeutic!