I can
Hey everyone!
I am overeating since I guess about 10 years now (I'm 22). Since two years I have problems with my digestion, I've been to lots of doctors but don't have a diagnosis yet, although they think it might be IBS. After researching this a lot I found that a healthy diet with (almost) no gluten, sugar, dairy or processed foods as well as intermittent fasting, not eating to much at once and leaving linger breaks between meals can completely cure this issue. The problem is that I can't stop eating. Especially when people make food for me, snack unhealthy stuff in front of me or offer me food I can't say no. I want to eat healthy and stop constantly snacking shit because I constantly feel stuffed to a point where I feel sick and still keep eating. And my digestion problems keep getting worse, I often can't even sit for longer periods because my stomach hurts to much. I get terrible cramps that make me feel like having a knive in my stomach but as soon as the pain goes away I start eating shit again even though I know it will put me in pain again.
Additionally I have health anxiety because I'm still afraid that my digestion problems might be caused by a tumor or cancer or something because the doctors don't really know what's the cause for it. And I'm just so overwhelmed by this anxiety and not knowing what's going on and all the stress I have from university.
I really need help!
Thanks for reading, Kat
@emotionalTortoise5650
Hi Kat, I'm really sorry for what you're going through! It sounds really painful and distressing, especially to not know exactly what's going on. I also think that it's very adaptive and normal that you're having a hard time sticking to such a strict and restrictive diet--if we deprive our body of food or specific types of food, it makes us want it more, this is our built in survival mechanism. It also causes us to fixate on food, if we aren't eating enough or if we're restricting.
I think it's a good idea to keep seeing your doctors, even though they've been unable so far to provide much relief. I think it could be really helpful to work with a non-diet dietitian--they can spend more time with you than doctors can, and they can also collaborate with your doctors and other providers to get an even more comprehensive approach. If it is IBS, there are a lot of other factors that can contribute besides food--anxiety, stress, judgements about food or eating, other underlying issues. My recommendation would be to select a dietitian that refers to themselves as a non-diet dietitian and/or a HAES (health at every size) dietitian--this means that they will work with you on your health goals, managing these digestive issues, and supporting you without encouraging disordered eating behaviors or food group elimination.
Wishing you all the very best, I hope you get some answers and relief soon!
