Realizing it might be time to get help for binge eating is SCARY. I get it. Eating disorders thrive in secrecy and safety. So reaching out for help might feel like a big *NOPE* on so many levels. Reaching out for help can also make your binge eating problem “real,” which means it’s time to recognize that you can’t do this recovery on your own.
And if you’ve been taught that being unable to do it on your means you're a failure, that's a tough place to be.
Time to get help for binge eating? A different perspective:
- Asking for help isn't a failure.
- This is simply choosing to allow someone else to help you handle challenges you cannot handle alone.
- What if asking for help increases your chances of success?
I spent years fighting the binge eating disorder fight alone, beating myself up daily for not making progress. I told myself that this was just the way my life would be: a person who struggled with food… that is until I realized I didn’t have to do this alone! And that I could get help for binge eating.
Sometimes it feels like there’s no way out, but there always is. Take it from someone who has felt the way you feel right now, accepted the help, and now has a life she could only dream of.
You don’t have to stay stuck in this binge/restrict cycle for the rest of your life.
You’re meant to thrive. You are also meant to enjoy food. You’re meant to be in your life instead of in your head. You are meant for more. And most importantly, you don’t have to do it alone.
Here are 5 ways to tell it may be time to get help for binge eating::
⚠️DISCLAIMER: this is not meant to be an all-inclusive list. Rather, it's just a few items that will allow you to get curious if extra support would boost your chances of recovery from binge eating.
🚩 It’s been 3+ months
If you've been trying to recover on your own for more than 3 months, and nothing has changed, this is a big sign it is time to get help for binge eating. And I know how easy it is to say, “this time, it’ll be different.” But how much life are you willing to let pass you by? What if reaching out for help can get you there faster?
🚩 More Days Consumed With Food
If you’ve repeatedly been having more days consumed with food than not, it might be time to reach out. It doesn't seem like that big of a deal until you realize 10+ years have passed and you've missed out on so much life. Thinking about food all day long is not normal. Planning your day around when, what, and how you're going to eat is not normal. Thinking more about food than the life it allows is not normal. What if reaching out for help can get you back into your life? If you agree, it is time to get help for binge eating.
🚩 You’ve lost motivation
If you aren’t motivated to do it on your own, it is time to ask for help! Accountability and support are game-changers. See for yourself in my free support group!
🚩 It’s never different
If you repeatedly tell yourself, “this time will be different,” and it has never been, it is time to reach out. Again, how much life are you willing to let pass you by? It doesn't have to be this way. You must be willing to make changes and take action for things to be different. What if this time is different because you're doing something different?
🚩 It’s affecting other areas of your life
If your binge eating is starting to affect other areas of your life – work, school, relationships, etc., this is a hugeeee sign it is time to get help. What do you want to remember when you look back at your life? You only get one life. What if asking for help allows you to salvage those relationships, return to school, and reinvest in your career? And what if getting help now means you finally get to live after feeling like you missed out on so much?
5 Signs It Is Time To Get Help For Binge Eating TLDR;
Too long didn’t read: If food has consumed you for more than 3 months and is now taking away from your life, it’s time to get help for binge eating. Having someone in your corner who can show light the path forward might just be that extra boost you need to get exactly what you want out of life: food freedom. Be brave. Take that leap.
