By Kim O'Brien Root
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Joseph Goldberg, MD
It might not be easy to admit you have a problem with eating too much. Once you’re ready to do that, though, talking to your doctor about bingeing can get you on the path to recovery.
Not sure how to get the conversation started? Doctors offer these four tips:
Be honest about your eating. Tell your doctor what’s going on and how long you've been overeating.
You might have to start the discussion. That's because primary care doctors, as well as those focused on treating other medical issues, might not always question your weight or eating habits. Even if your bingeing has made you gain weight, your doctor might suggest dieting and exercise without suspecting the possibility of binge eating disorder. (Two-thirds of people with the disorder are overweight.)
“Simply coming forward and talking about it is the first step,” says Randall Flanery, PhD. He's a clinical psychologist in St. Louis, MO. He's been treating people with eating disorders for more than 25 years. “If you can get the discussion going, it really can get a life of its own.”
Tell your doctor if you often:
- Eat an extreme amount of food in a short amount of time
- Do so until you feel uncomfortably full
- Eat alone because you’re embarrassed about how much you're having
- Eat when you’re not hungry
- Feel like you can’t stop eating
- Feel upset, guilty, or depressed afterward
Tell your doctor how bingeing affects your life. Your doctor needs to know if your eating habits cause problems with your everyday life. She might ask:
- How long have you been bingeing?
- Has it affected your ability to work?
- Do you worry that food has taken over your life?
- Are you avoiding certain activities, like dating or buying new clothes?
- Does your bingeing keep your from dining out with others?
- How do you feel about yourself?
- How do you feel about yourself after you’ve eaten?
Your doctor asks these questions because she wants to know what might be causing you to lose control of your eating. For example, some people binge eat because they feel stressed, says Eric DeMaria, MD, of Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center in Portsmouth, VA. Counseling and talk therapy can teach you to spot the things that trigger you to binge eat, and they can help you get better.
source : How to Talk to Your Doctor About Binge Eating
