Hey Sam, I was wondering how to cope with binge eating. over the year I've noticed my emotions were all over the place and I noticed I've been eating way to much and at the wrong foods. My weight is rapidly increasing by the day. I live with my mum and she buys foods I like (mostly sweet treats) and I m eating them in secret. It might sound weird but I eat them within one day or two days (like a packet of 8 kitkats) and keeping the wrapper there for a week or two and then get rid of it. when my mum leaves the house after dinner I go and look for food even tho im not hungry. My portion of food was huge already. I would really like some help and advice.
Sam
Hi there
I was talking to Samantha from Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, and she told me that feelings and emotions can be difficult to handle and that we sometimes use food as a way of coping. One of the most important things you can do if you’re worried about your relationship with food is to talk to someone you trust, like a parent, carer, teacher or doctor. Keeping things secret can be stressful and can start to make things worse after a while.
Binge eating can often make people feel embarrassed and like they need to keep it a secret. This is common but there’s support available. I know that Childline talks to a lot of young people about eating problems and I get letters about this every week.
It can often feel frightening when speaking to someone about these difficulties, but those who love you and care about you will want to support you through this. An eating problem is a real problem, so a family member or a trusted friend should take it seriously. If there’s anyone you’ve talked to about mental health before they might be a good person to speak to.
Some people worry that they won’t get a good reaction when they tell someone about their problem. Sometimes people who haven’t had any experience with eating problems may not fully understand your situation. If you talk to someone and don’t get the reaction you were hoping for, don’t give up. There’s support available - you could get in touch with Beat for advice about binge eating or other eating problems.
Beat has lots of different ways you can get in touch, including webchat, over the phone and online support groups. It could be good to have a look at their website to see if you feel comfortable to talk this through with one of their advisers.
And remember you can always chat to Childline – our counsellors are available whenever you need them.
Take care,
Sam
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