Binge Eating Question Based on Ignorance of Nature of Eating Disorders

“Do I have an eating disorder if I only binge on healthy foods?”

Desperate Hope

This question always brings sadness to me. It speaks of a desperate hope to find a way to be safe and healthy. If you are asking this question, then deep down you know that bingeing is dangerous. You know bingeing is wrong for your body and your life.

You want to give yourself good nourishment. You want to take care of yourself. You want to live.

Compulsion to Binge Eat

At the same time you are compelled to binge. You feel helpless to stop. So you continues to binge while attempting to make your binge safe.

Danger of Ignorance

You may try and even succeed for a while in convincing yourself that if you are bingeing on healthy food, then it’s not really a binge.

This belief will only prolong the duration of your eating disorder and prevent your reaching out for help so necessary for recovery to begin.

Joanna Poppink, MFT, psychotherapist eating disorder specialist, Los Angeles, CA bulimia, anorexia, compulsive overeating recovery, www.eatingdisorderrecovery.com

June 1, 2008 | Filed Under Coping Strategies