Hello, I’ve been recently diagnosed. I have comfort/ stressed ate for a long time. I had eating disorders in the past and I’ve tried to get help for this before. Because of the worry and anxiousness I’m still binge eating at times and can feel in my body that it doesn’t like it. I don’t want to eat unhealthy foods but it’s always been the way I’ve dealt with uncomfortable emotions. The binge eating has happened before I even realise if that makes sense. I now have the extra worry with this and know how much my body deserves all the goodness it can get. I’m active and eat healthy as much as possible but when I eat junk I can feel my hands stiffer and feet the next day. Help would be much appreciated.
Ruth
We’re all human and we deal with stressful situations in the way we know best. I’m the person who started smoking cigarettes again when MS became a likely dx because why not, dammit? I don’t recommend that, I really don’t. But it’s my version of finding oneself doing really unhelpful stuff just to stay afloat in the maelstrom. Don’t beat yourself up too much. This is a tough time for you, and you will regain your balance and your sense of perspective, but don’t be too disappointed if that takes a little while.
2 Likes
Your comment about knowing that your body wants to be well nourished made me think of this. It’s the way I try to eat (less the bread bit) and I feel well and strong doing it. By the way, I have an ED history as well, and I find this way of eating particularly good because its all about health and being at ease with food and sharing good things with friends and family; it is not at all about complicated regimes or the dreaded restrictions. You might want to take a look and think about whether it might help you to be a bit kinder to yourself, while knowing that you are doing good work to stay as well as you can be with MS. Maybe it’s not for right now for you, but it’s something you might want to come back to.
1 Like
It strikes me that first place to start is with your GP and ask if there are any programmes available locally that can help. I appreciate you may well have tried this approach before, but this is a serious medical condition that needs addressing and that’s their job.
“If you think you may have binge eating disorder, see a GP as soon as you can.
They’ll ask you about your eating habits and how you’re feeling, and check your weight and overall health.
The GP should refer you to an eating disorder specialist or team of specialists if they think you have binge eating disorder or another eating disorder.”
Binge eating disorder - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Local Eating Disorder Support (beateatingdisorders.org.uk)
If all else fails it might be worth discussing with your MS Nurse, because the conditions are linked.
I hope you get the support you obviously deserve.
1 Like
Hi Alison,
Thanks for your response. Sorry to hear you’ve had eating disorders too. Although it’s never been something I’ve wanted to do there is even more pressure to stop now. I’ve had counselling and have came along way but wish I could just feel the emotions without turning to things to suppress.
I’ll have a look at the link you sent too. That looks great and not a diet. Hope you are doing better now.
1 Like
Thanks so much for your response. Yes I have a call today with my nurse so will speak to them and see if there is further advice. I may look into getting further counselling. It’s something I’ve had on and off for years for both bulimia and binge eating. It makes sense that it’s happening as it’s an anxious time and the way I’ve dealt with things in the past but I really don’t want to continue to do so. I appreciate the advice.
1 Like
Thank you. My active ED (AN in my case) was long ago, but my approach to food and nutrition was pretty screwed up for decades after. It is really only in recent years that I have finally felt fully at ease with enjoying good food wholeheartedly and keeping the engine fuelled with the best quality and most nutritious food I can afford. This has made all the difference to my general health. Eating what your body actually needs is amazingly liberating, and many of us have layers of outdated rules and fears to peel away before we can trust ourselves and trust our appetites to nourish us properly as nature intended.
1 Like