Overeaters' Anonymous

[Ultralight]

I am using one of the things Chicken Lady pointed out about you : "you focus on minimalism in your life". So, I am thinking that you could bring your minimalism outlook into the food area and focus on it in that way. Quality foods over quantity foods - such as all you can eat pizza.

You would think I could do that. But I am a total F@#%ING madman when it comes to certain junk foods. haha

Basically I have been clean since Wednesday night. I have done this by going to meetings, white knuckling, and just hiding out. I had a three day weekend. So I have been in solitude much of the time.

Tomorrow I will have to go to work and deal with some temptations and with the peer pressure of another compulsive over eater.

[CathyA]

My mom and dad are clearly compulsive over-eaters and junk food junkies. So if there is a genetic component I am likely cursed with it. And it there is an environmental component I lived deep in that milieu as a child. I mean, when I was a kid I would drink 6 or more cans of Pepsi a day. Typical breakfast was a huge square of chocolate cake and a cold Pepsi.

UL.........I'm really pissed at your parents. Even with my "eating disorder", my kids never saw it. They learned to eat really healthy stuff. I would have felt like a total failure if I'd "taught" them to eat crap.

Have you had a physical recently? Maybe even see an endocrinologist. I know, speaking as someone with the same kind of problem, there can be so many more reasons for your hunger. And I know you're really trying. But if you never address some of the other possible problems, your success might not last very long. But damn.........I'm really pissed at your parents!! When I was a toddler, my mother would stuff a cracker in my mouth whenever I would cry. Thanks mom. Hang in there UL.

[Ultralight]

UL.........I'm really pissed at your parents. Even with my "eating disorder", my kids never saw it. They learned to eat really healthy stuff. I would have felt like a total failure if I'd "taught" them to eat crap.

Have you had a physical recently? Maybe even see an endocrinologist. I know, speaking as someone with the same kind of problem, there can be so many more reasons for your hunger. And I know you're really trying. But if you never address some of the other possible problems, your success might not last very long. But damn.........I'm really pissed at your parents!! When I was a toddler, my mother would stuff a cracker in my mouth whenever I would cry. Thanks mom. Hang in there UL.

I think that my parents did not see it as an eating disorder, but as a way to make yourself happy.

Interestingly I can distinguish between real hunger and the craving of my addiction. Like I am hungry for baked salmon, but I crave pizzas.

[Teacher Terry]

I can’t believe that your parents fed you such crap. I was a very young mom and knew better than that. Ugh!

[Ultralight]

I can’t believe that your parents fed you such crap. I was a very young mom and knew better than that. Ugh!

Candy, cookies, pizza, cakes, mountains of Chinese food, mac & cheese. Again, I think they thought they were just showing me their method of making themselves happy. This is still their method.

But I don't want it to be mine. I am 39. I am late to the game, but I can change.

[Ultralight]

And in some senses I actually do a lot better than my parents. I have not drank soda pop in 18 or 19 years. I don't eat chocolate anymore or desserts. I quit about 15 years ago.

[Zoe Girl]

That is great that you are reaching out for help and support. No one else can do that for you so it is a huge step.

I have been meditating at times with a Refuge Recovery group at an in-patient treatment center (it is a Buddhist based recovery program). I hear stories of amazing trauma from everyone and then hear them take responsibility. It is pretty amazing to me. I attend because of my brain based illness and total breakdown over the summer. People there really understand what happened. It sounds like OA is the best place for you right now, however if you want to try out the RR in addition there are on-line meetings as I understand. The book by the same name is also very good, many people use it along with an AA type program. The program is for every type of addiction but the people are generally dealing with alcohol and drugs which seems distinctly different in a way because a food addiction does not mean you can stop eating food.

My closest to understanding is a high sensitivity to sugar, and my diagnoses recommends I watch sugar and caffeine. I ate some cookies before bed and I woke up at 3:30 am because I was actually hungry enough to wake up. So I second the recommendation to see a DR if you have not already and possibly a deitician when you have some progress. Also I know with larger employers there is often the EAP, you can get some free counseling sessions and it is totally private. You have made the big step and there are some support systems that are part of the systems you have put so much hard work into at your job.

[Ultralight]

I feel really grumpy.

[Chicken lady]

Yep. Impulsive, indulgent UL does not like being reined in. And probably the people around you don’t get it.

keep turning to your support group!

mine is online, but I “go” there every day. Sometimes over and over. If you need more frequent reinforcement, you might want to look for an online back up so that you can have a quick “meeting” at work if you need to.

[Ultralight]

Yep. Impulsive, indulgent UL does not like being reined in. And probably the people around you don’t get it.

I would say I am more indulgent than impulsive. haha