How to Deal With Compulsive Overeating

Compulsive overeating is an extremely tough behavior to deal with. You want to be in control but you're not which adds to stress levels which leads to more compulsive eating and the continuation of the vicious cycle. If you have a compulsive eating disorder you should be talking to a professional. Here are some steps you can take to deal with compulsive overeating that will be of additional help.

Instructions

• 1

  Let Go

  "Letting go" may sound abstract and generic but this is one of the most powerful things you can do to counter compulsive overeating. While it seems like you're out of control when you're eating compulsively, in reality, you're actually trying to gain control of emotions that you are having a tough time dealing with. Binge eating, emotional overeating and compulsive overeating are all coping mechanisms used to deal with emotions that are overwhelming. When you let go of the need to control and numb your emotions and just deal with what you're feeling straight on, you'll initially feel the build up of stress but once you've expressed, acknowledged and let go of the emotions inside, your sense of relief will come - not from the food but from your own ability to handle your own emotions and daily life situations.

• 2

  Acknowledge and Accept

  This is another step that may seem counter-intuitive. Every time you go through the compulsive overeating or binge eating cycle, you probably fill your mind with self-destructive thoughts and negative feelings about yourself. You think you're weak for succumbing to food yet again. Stop. You're not weak. You're not a terrible person for creating a coping mechanism for yourself that in some ways is actually working for you. It numbs the feelings that you don't know what to do with. Acknowledge and accept that there is a need and a purpose for this behavior and revisit step 1 to let it go. Once you've gone through a compulsive overeating episode, just breathe, accept and acknowledge. Breathe, accept and acknowledge - one more time. Then - move on and decide how you're going to handle it differently the next time the urge arises.

• 3

  Come Up With A Different Strategy to Cope

  Decide how you're going to approach the situation the next time. When you feel the need to raid your kitchen, stop and think. Are you going to call a friend to talk? Are you going to journal all your thoughts immediately? Are you going to talk yourself through what you're feeling. Find some way to express yourself completely and let all your feelings go. If you still feel you need food for comfort, accept that, don't hate yourself for it - and instead of rejecting that need completely, have a small serving of comfort food fully acknowledging that you're doing this for yourself in order to cope. Once you're done eating your one serving of comfort food, move on. Don't let this dominate your day or your thoughts.

• 4

  Create a Daily Writing Ritual

  Create a daily writing ritual for yourself, where you give yourself half an hour a day to write about anything and everything. This should be your own time without interruptions. Immerse yourself in your thoughts and your writing for that time. Write about the little things you loved or hated or were indifferent to - everyday. Value your own thoughts and opinions.