Home
>
Success
>
Preventing Setbacks: Compulsive Eating, Binge Eating, And Eating Addictions

Preventing Setbacks: Compulsive Eating, Binge Eating, And Eating Addictions

On your journey to moving past using food to cope with life's difficulties, you will experience good days and bad days. It takes a lot of work to develop self-compassion and much practice utilizing new ways of thinking and acting. It is my belief that what is commonly referred to as "relapses" or "set-backs" are not a step back in time, but an important experience needed to gain new understandings and to strengthen new choices.

When a "relapse" does occur it does not happen spontaneously, but occurs with a process of thoughts, ideas, attitudes, emotions and behaviors. Meaning that a series of circumstances occur which progressively lead to choosing food as a coping mechanism. A person doesn't suddenly find themselves overwhelmed by the need for food. There are warning signs along the way. These warning signs show up in mental thoughts and attitudes, physically felt emotions, and expressed behaviors and actions. Relapse warning signs often build up slowly until they become overpowering. Once they are overpowering, you may experience a loss of control of thinking, emotions, memory, judgement and behavior. Often, we have not taught ourselves to be aware of our warning signs. And if you are not aware that you are headed down a slippery slope, it may be too late when you find yourself at the bottom.

Therefore, it is important to find a way to recognize and monitor your relapse warning signs. If you are prepared and recognize the pattern that is happening, you can be more empowered the next time. Relapse is usually caused by a combination of factors. Some possible factors and warning signs are included in the list below:

APPETITE Increase in obsessive thinking about food and weight Sudden increase or decrease in appetite Weight gain or loss Skipping meals Eating only 'diet' foods Food 'rules' become more pronounced

SOCIAL INTERACTION Isolating Withdrawn behavior Not relying on people for support Change in sleep patterns Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much Loss of daily structure

MEDICATION Use of alcohol Use of mood altering chemicals Increase in smoking, cigarettes, caffeine Numbing out with excessive shopping, sex, busyness, internet, etc. Excessive exercise

HOSTILITY Verbal or physical threats Desire to hurt self or others Angry outbursts Destruction of property

APPEARANCE Decreased personal hygiene or self-care Increased use of make-up Bizarre dreams Daily weighing Excessive exercising

THOUGHT PROCESS Perfectionistic attitudes Setting unrealistic goals Believing you will be happy and successful if thin Feeling of being "too fat", even though people say otherwise Obsessive thinking Dwelling on past hurts, resentments, anger, or failures Being too hard on yourself Forgetting gratitude Feeling disgusted after eating Trouble concentrating or thinking clearly Difficulty remembering things Confused or distracted Wanting to escape from stressful situations instead of dealing with them

MOOD Exhaustion Tearfulness Irritability Unusual or unprovoked anxiety Feeling hopeless about work, relationships or life Depression Feeling powerless or helpless Self-pity Complacency Conscious lying / dishonesty Loss of self-confidence Loneliness Frustration Anger Tension Disappointment, shame, guilt Constant boredom - irritability - lack of routine Feeling overwhelmed - confused - useless -stressed out

SUICIDE Thoughts of suicide Preoccupation with death Devising a suicide or self-harm plan Self-destructive behavior Cutting Feeling that nothing can be solved Wishing something would magically happen to rescue you

A relapse rarely happens suddenly. We can teach ourselves to notice the progressive warning signs that lead to a relapse in our behavior. Most people have never been taught to identify and manage the warning signs, so they don't notice them until the pain becomes to severe to ignore. If you can learn to identify your warning signs, you may be able to intervene early and keep symptoms from escalating. Use this form to circle your relapse signs, or write a list of personal warning signs that lead you back into your food patterns. By identifying things that put us at risk for relapse, developing a practical plan of action, and utilizing various new skills, tools and coping behaviors, we can empower ourselves and reduce the frequency of lapse back into our addictive behaviors. If and when a relapse does occur, do not judge or blame, you are not a bad person. Seek progress, understanding and compassion, not perfection.

COMMON TOOLS TO HELP IN A TIME OF CRISIS:

Regular journaling to monitor progress Regular journaling for gratitude Attending support meetings or OA Reaching out by telephone (print a list of people to call ahead of time) Prayer or meditation seeking guidance Reading inspiration books or poems A written plan of action A written list of things to do when symptoms increase or cravings begin Relaxation techniques Deep breathing exercise Helping others Talking to friends or counselors

(For more ideas on tools to utilize during a crisis, see articles posted at www.LovingMiracles.com under the "Healing Articles" section of the website).

By Dr. Annette Colby, RD

annette@annettecolby.com For FREE inspirational newsletter, articles & info visit: annette@annettecolby.com Copyright 2005, Dr. Annette Colby, all rights reserved. "Opening Creative Portals to Success"

detailed home cleaning Lake Forest ..

In The News:

The Jetsons Act aims to position Pennsylvania as a leader in advanced air mobility by establishing regulations for hybrid ground-air vehicles.

Fake Geek Squad invoice emails are targeting users with convincing charges and urgent phone numbers to steal personal information and money.

Fox News Digital's artificial intelligence newsletter digs into a robot in Russia that faceplanted, George Clooney's alarm and OpenAI's rivalry with the New York Times.

Major data breach at Conduent exposes personal information of 10+ million people. Government contractor hit by cyberattack affecting Medicaid, child support systems.

Texas startup Janta Power raises $5.5M for innovative vertical solar towers that generate 50% more energy than traditional panels while using just one-third the land.

NASA's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft launched aboard Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket Thursday afternoon from Cape Canaveral, beginning their journey to Mars with arrival expected in 2027.

Learn how to set email reminders on iPhone and Android so you never forget to reply again. Simple built-in features help you stay organized and on top of messages.

Discover how Apple's passkeys revolutionize Mac security by replacing vulnerable passwords with biometric authentication and encryption for ultimate protection.

New survey reveals 78% of parents fear AI scams targeting their kids, yet nearly half haven't discussed these threats. Learn why this dangerous gap exists.

Chrome now autofills passport and driver's license info automatically. Google's latest browser update adds official document support with encryption and user control.

Scammers impersonate Department of Veterans Affairs employees claiming veterans owe money, but real VA communications only direct to VA.gov or official channels.

The AltoVolo Sigma hybrid-electric aircraft flies 500 miles at 220 mph while operating 80% quieter than helicopters, featuring safety systems and compact design.

Google search scam alert: fake customer service numbers can give scammers remote control of your phone. Learn how to spot these traps and protect yourself.

Electric vehicles overtake gas cars in total CO2 savings after just two years of driving, with emissions benefits growing over time as power grids get cleaner.

Louvre Museum reportedly used "Louvre" as password for surveillance system during $100M jewel heist. Learn how weak passwords put even famous institutions at risk.

Bipartisan AI jobs bill from Sens. Hawley and Warner would require companies to report AI-related layoffs and hiring to Department of Labor quarterly.

Joe A. from Shelton, Connecticut, lost $228,000 to a ZAP Solutions cryptocurrency investment scam after his divorce, highlighting rising online fraud.

AI-powered autonomous trucks from Waabi and Volvo target U.S. freight driver shortage with Level 4 self-driving technology and NVIDIA computing platform integration.

Survive flight disruptions with expert travel tips: Book early morning flights, download airline apps and know your refund rights during service cuts.

Apple's iOS 26.1 update delivers major security fixes, performance boosts and enhanced privacy controls for your iPhone. Discover why updating now protects your data.

Russian hackers use fake CAPTCHA tests to spread dangerous malware targeting governments and journalists. Learn how to protect yourself from these deceptive attacks.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Miami-Dade debuts America's first autonomous police SUV with AI cameras, drone deployment and real-time crime detection in groundbreaking law enforcement pilot.

Bank impostor scams cost Americans $2.9 billion as criminals use AI voices and caller ID spoofing to steal life savings. Learn nine essential fraud protection tips.

Foreign-owned apps secretly harvest personal data from seniors, making them prime targets for scams. Learn how to protect your privacy and stop data brokers today.