One of the hardest parts of dealing with binge eating is talking about the problem. Embarrassment often prevents people from discussing their binge eating with anyone - including their doctor. However if you suffer from binge eating, the first step to getting help is to tell the people who are able to assist you about your problem.
Mild to moderate depression is often the root cause of binge eating. The feelings of depression initiate the binge eating, and the binge eating in turn causes even more depression and guilt. This leads to a cycle that feeds on itself and never seems to end. The only way to break this cycle of behavior is to talk about it and get the help you need.
Begin your recovery by seeing your physician. Be open and honest and discuss your uncontrollable urge to overeat. Your doctor can come up with an accurate diagnosis and discuss various treatment options - ranging from medications to counseling - with you.
There are a number of alternative or natural treatments that include adding various vitamins, minerals and herbs to your diet. When taken in specific combinations, these natural supplements increase the levels of chemicals in your brain that lift your mood, eliminate cravings and decrease your appetite. This can help to remove the trigger that causes you to have binge eating episodes.
Even if you opt for an alternative remedy, it is still vital to consult a doctor or professional trained in natural medicine. The combinations and dosages of the natural supplements must be done correctly in order to have the desired effect.
So, what steps can you take to make it easier to manage your binge eating? Keep a journal of any activities, events, or stresses that seem to trigger a binge eating episode. For instance, when you find yourself binging, make a note of what things you were focused on leading up to the episode. Then on a regular basis keep track of what seems to trigger this behavior.
Once a diet, supplements, counseling, or other course of treatment has been prescribed for you, keep another journal in which you describe the results. Have the symptoms or urges improved? Are they worse?
If you are taking medication, keep a record of what you take and when. Is it helping with the urges? Are there any side effects? Keep track of when side effects occur and how severe they are. Having this information handy will help your doctor prescribe the treatment that best addresses your overall health.
Setting up journals like the ones described here is easy to do. You can use a paper worksheet, a computer word processing program, or even a spreadsheet program like Excel.
You owe it to yourself to take an active role in managing your own health. Binge eating has the potential to be terribly damaging to your health. However with proper management, it can be controlled and eliminated. You need to use every tool at your disposal to make sure you get the best health care possible.
