How to get rid of overeating with the help of the subconscious. Food addiction: how to deal with compulsive overeating. How to get rid of the consequences of overeating - feelings of heaviness and other sensations

Eating disorders occupy a special place among mental disorders. Many people know about the dangers of diseases such as bulimia and anorexia, but experts rarely talk about compulsive overeating. However, this type of disorder is quite common in both women and men of all ages.

What is compulsive overeating? This term refers to the excessive consumption of food, which is popularly called gluttony. But the reason for this behavior is not the lack of willpower, natural laziness or human temperament. Overeating is based on psychological factors. That is why it is possible to cope with the problem only with the help of an experienced psychotherapist specializing in the correction of eating behavior.

Features of the disease

In the life of every person there were moments when he ate food more than necessary. The result of such overeating: heaviness and discomfort in the abdomen. But such situations happen extremely rarely, and, as a rule, at the moments of festive feasts. In a person with a psychological disorder, the process of eating almost never ends. With compulsive overeating, the patient may at some point go on a diet, but this only leads to another breakdown and even more gluttony.

The main difference between this type of eating disorder and bulimia is that a person does not try to get rid of what he has eaten artificially (by causing vomiting), although he is tormented by a sense of shame quite strongly. However, the amount of food eaten at one meal should be really large. The fact is that often people suffering from eating disorders believe that they eat a lot, but the amount of food they eat does not exceed the norm. In this case, we can talk about other types of pathology.

Others may not always understand that a person nearby has an eating disorder. The patient eats a lot only when he is alone, he can store food for the future, in order to indulge in gluttony later.

Often, the body weight of a person suffering from compulsive overeating is normal. The first signs of obesity appear some time after the onset of the disease.

You can judge the presence of psychological problems by the following symptoms:

• food is consumed in quantities that are significantly higher than the norm (the amount of food sufficient to satisfy the hunger of the average adult);
• the time between meals is short - it rarely reaches 2 hours;
• a person eats greedily and very quickly, from the outside it may seem that he is experiencing severe hunger;
• the patient does not eat because he is hungry. Often the reason for the next meal is stress, a feeling of loneliness, or another emotional reason;
• with compulsive overeating, a person realizes that he is unable to control his appetite and stop;
• the process of absorption of food often stops only with the appearance of pain in the stomach;
• after another attack of gluttony, a person experiences a feeling of guilt. He is frustrated and unhappy to the point that he may become depressed, which leads to a new episode of overeating.

If the symptoms described above are present for a sufficiently long time, at least 3 months, then this may indicate the presence of serious eating disorders. To cope with this problem on your own with the help of diets will not work - in order to achieve sustainable results, you must undergo a course of special psychotherapy.

Causes of Compulsive Overeating

No one can name the exact cause of the development of eating disorders. To date, there is an opinion that the disorder occurs as a response of the body to a stressful situation. The following factors can give impetus to the onset of psychogenic overeating:

1. Uncontrolled hunger can be caused by disorders in the hypothalamus. This part of the brain is responsible for the feeling of fullness - when it stops sending signals, a person experiences constant hunger. Among other biological causes of overeating, experts call a decrease in serotonin levels.
2. Often the reasons for overeating are the characteristics of the cultural and social environment. From birth, a child gets used to the idea that food can serve as a reward. Or the norms accepted in society can lead to the development of nervous disorders in people who do not comply with them. A compulsive eater feels his inadequacy, and against this background, he develops a secondary depression, leading to another bout of gluttony.
3. Overeating can also have psychological causes. The relationship between uncontrolled eating and depression has been identified by researchers for a long time. Gluttony is prone to people with low self-esteem, suffering from loneliness and misunderstanding.

In addition, it has been noted that the tendency to psychogenic overeating may be hereditary.

What threatens psychogenic overeating

Perhaps some people think that gluttony is not the worst of the psychological disorders. But the problems with being overweight, which arise as a result of eating a huge amount of a variety of foods, is the most harmless consequence of this pathology. A sick person is more often than others in a state of depression, he is constantly tormented by a feeling of anxiety, worry and fear. In some cases, people resort to alcohol or drugs in an attempt to cope with binge eating, but this only makes the situation worse.

Against the background of obesity, physical health problems can also develop. Most often, obese people suffer from diabetes mellitus, they have a several times higher risk of cancer, heart rhythm is disturbed and hypertension develops. Other problems include diseases of the joints, snoring, pathologies of the thyroid gland, various diseases of the digestive system and intestines.

Recognition of overeating caused by psychogenic causes

Diagnosis, as well as treatment of this type of eating disorder, requires the participation of several specialists. The examination is carried out both in psychological and somatic profile. Doctors will conduct a general examination of the patient and study his entire history. Predisposing factors are identified, such as stress, hormonal imbalances, psychogenic disorders, a period of prolonged fasting (voluntary or forced).

Instrumental studies are also needed. In the laboratory conditions, the level of cholesterol, blood sugar is specified, the secretion of the stomach is examined. With the help of special equipment, an examination of the stomach, intestines and other organs involved in the process of digestion of food is carried out.

Diagnosis will be made by the presence of persistent symptoms of overeating and the exclusion of other types of diseases that can lead to loss of control over appetite.

Therapy

If the patient has been diagnosed with psychogenic overeating, then drug treatment is unlikely to help. Some medications may be prescribed to relieve symptoms or treat comorbidities, but various psychocorrection methods must be used to eliminate the underlying problem.

The treatment of such a psychological disorder is quite long. Some patients achieved success in a year of joint work with a psychotherapist, others needed more time.

The main task of specialists who treat compulsive overeating is to convey to the patient the idea that food can become an assistant in the process of getting rid of pathology. To solve the problem, you do not need to completely refuse food. You should learn to control the daily diet, it should be based on nutritious and healthy foods.

Among the methods of psychotherapy in the treatment of eating disorders, the most effective are cognitive and behavioral psychotherapy, as well as suggestion and hypnosis. However, this should be done by an experienced physician who specializes in the treatment of binge eating, as this type of disorder often goes unnoticed by physicians of other specializations.

It is not uncommon for people suffering from compulsive overeating to undergo stomach reduction surgery. But in the case when gluttony is caused by psychological reasons, the effect of resection will be minimal, since the patient is not able to control the attacks.

How to deal with the problem yourself

If the disorder is in the initial stages of development, attempts can be made to overcome it on your own. This will be the first step on the road to recovery. When anxiety symptoms appear, you should:

• ask for help. This is not about a visit to a psychotherapist. Tell your loved one about your problem. In some cases, pronouncing the problem allows you to find ways out of it. In addition, the support of loved ones gives us strength and confidence in success, relieves us of feelings of insecurity and loneliness;
• don't label yourself. Negative labels that sick people hang on themselves interfere with recovery. Even if you eat too much food, you don't become ill. Overeating is not a crime, but a disease requiring treatment;
• It is not necessary to divide all food into good or bad. It is important to understand that you can eat everything, but in small quantities. If you follow this rule, then you can afford some French fries or a slice of cream cake;
• try to take breaks while eating. Take a break and evaluate your feelings. If a person uses food as a sedative, then he may miss the satiety signal sent from the brain;
• change your habits or environment. What surrounds us has a great influence on our lifestyle and food culture. The compulsive eater should try to eat in company as often as possible. Go to a cafe or invite friends to visit;
• give yourself permission to be weak. Many people who suffer from gluttony and overweight make a list of prohibited foods. You should not do this, because it is unlikely that you will be able to cope with the temptation. And after a while of abstinence, you will again indulge in gluttony. If you want something, then eat it now, but not much. In this case, there will be no feeling of guilt, which is the key to triggering compulsive overeating;
• a person suffering from this psychogenic disorder can have only one ban - on diets. It is necessary to forget about dietary restrictions once and for all, since they only lead to additional stress. It would be better to make a balanced diet. If you can’t do it yourself, you can seek help from a nutritionist.

These methods of getting rid of eating disorders are quite effective. But only in rare cases, sick people can cope with bouts of binge eating on their own. In severe forms of the disorder, the help of specialists is simply necessary. Only with a combination of psychotherapy and self-control can sustainable results be achieved.

How to stop Compulsive Overeating or an irresistible desire to chew something with the help of effective methods and natural supplements.

Do you often eat more than you should or intended? Are you overweight? Do you feel guilty but can't stop? Do you have the feeling that food is your drug?

You are not alone, I also used to be in the same boat with you.

I suffered from a so-called eating disorder, namely Compulsive Overeating.

The case was many years ago. I was 17 and entered a medical university in a completely foreign city where I didn’t know anyone. I felt alone. And to kill this feeling - I ate. First sweet, and then everything else, in huge quantities. I couldn't stop. It got to the point that I began to hide my addiction even from friends. I went outside, bought myself a hot dog, chocolates, ice cream and just filled my mouth with them.

Bottom line: from 58 kg I recovered to 75. In a month !!!

But I found the strength to stop, reconsider my addiction and start treating food from the point of view of nutrition of the body, and not emotions. This was the starting point.

Over the summer, I lost weight to 55 kg, started going to the gym. And I can say for sure, if I could do it, then you can do it too!

What is Compulsive Binge Eating?

Binge eating isn't just that, it's an eating disorder.

It's like a cycle that a person is not able to control.

First, you eat a lot (overeat), often harmful or so-called forbidden food. Then, because of this, you are tormented by feelings of shame and guilt. After that, you decide to put an end to this - and there comes a period of strict diets and self-restraint. And it all ends - again with a breakdown and gluttony. And on top of that, you are often overwhelmed by depression, longing, bad mood and anxiety.

Binge Eating Symptoms:

• loss of control over how much you eat
• emotional outbursts after overeating (guilt, shame, self-loathing, depression)
• repeated at least once a week for 3 months
• eat until you burst
• eat plenty of food even when you're not hungry
• try to eat alone so that no one sees how much you ate
• hiding food so you can eat it later when no one is watching
• eat when tense, in a bad mood, upset, anxious, under stress, and so on
• no feeling of fullness, regardless of the amount eaten

Causes of Binge Eating and Overeating

To treat any condition - first you need to understand the reason. And having figured out the reason why you actually overeat, you can already find the right approach to getting rid of it.

genetic predisposition

Scientists have been able to identify a particular gene that plays an important role in eating behavior problems.

Mental disorders

Almost always, people suffering from overeating also suffer from depression, anxiety, and the use of illegal drugs. In a word, it is not from a good life that we begin to eat uncontrollably.

Alignment with fashion

Many (especially women) feel great pressure from society about their appearance. One has only to look at women's magazines or turn on the TV. “Thin means beautiful” is still the main slogan of our social circle.

Frequent diets

A strict diet leads to breakdowns and then again to overeating and again to diets. In general, it turns out such a vicious circle.

neurotransmitters

Special substances, the imbalance of which in the brain can lead to uncontrolled absorption of food. Many scientists argue that it is the problem with neurotransmitters that leads to psychological / mental problems and, as a result, to binge eating.

What threatens Compulsive Overeating:

• increased risk of obesity
• increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension
• increased risk of anxiety, panic attacks, irritability, depression
• sleep problems, insomnia
• gallbladder problems
• muscle/joint pain
• digestive problems, including

How to deal with Compulsive Binge Eating?

In general, I believe that this problem should be approached comprehensively.

It is necessary to understand yourself and understand what exactly can cause a pathological desire to chew. Observe what you are experiencing at this time. For example, I ate to dull the feeling of loneliness and anxiety. I got pleasure from it and the so-called feeling of comfort.

So, the main methods of dealing with Compulsive Overeating:

Change your mind about how you are trying to lose weight or achieve your ideal

Do not view your life as a movement towards the ideal weight and figure. Do not count calories and do not limit yourself sharply in food, this will lead to irritability and the desire to eat again without stopping.

You just need to switch to a complete and natural diet that will nourish your body.

It is also best to serve your food in smaller plates. So visually it will seem to you that you ate more.

And sometimes you need to pamper yourself - allow both baked goods and a little sugar, natural, of course. Home baking, again in normal quantities, will not adversely affect the figure in any way.

Eat without distraction! Do not watch TV or read during this time. Chew your writing carefully. Take your time! I have already written in more detail about these extremely important aspects in.

Learn to manage your emotions

Or they will always rule you! When we cannot take negative emotions, situations and thoughts under control, our body begins to need comfort. And one of them will be zhor!

Try to walk more, do things you love, start practicing yoga, listen to meditations (you can find them on YouTube), go to, play sports, read more. In short, find other ways to relax and comfort.

By the way, I want to single out one of the effective methods separately. Still, talking to yourself really works and helps to overcome any fears, negative thoughts and emotions!

Supplements to combat binge eating

We are not talking about the so-called diet pills or cocktails that replace meals (both of which are only temporary and harmful).

As I wrote earlier, some scientists argue that pathological zhor can be caused by a malfunction of neurotransmitters in our brain. And by bringing them back to normal, you can achieve normal eating behavior.

I support this theory because I believe that depression and other negative feelings often arise precisely because of some kind of imbalance, or at least lead to it.

Main neurotransmitters:

• Serotonin- a substance responsible for good mood, appetite, sleep, learning and memory.
• Dopamine This is the so-called neurotransmitter of motivation.

So, here is a list of supplements that can be successfully used to treat binge eating:

Vitamin B complex

Helps regulate Serotonin levels, improving energy and mood and leading to less overeating. For example, this complex

Chromium

Especially come in handy. It helps the penetration of Insulin into the cells, regulating the level of Glucose and as a result, our brain stops receiving signals that we need more sugar. For example, this one.

Dosage: 200 per day

Manganese

This mineral helps with the transport and metabolism of Glucose. Stabilizes blood sugar levels and reduces sugar cravings. For example, this one.

Dosage: 10 mg per day

Magnesium

And this miracle mineral relaxes our body and brain. The level of glucose is stabilized. Helps to relax and sleep. I like this Magnesium Citrate or this Magnesium ion solution.

Dosage: 400 mg per day or until stools become too soft.

Zinc

This mineral is essential for appetite regulation. Here's a great option.

Dosage: 15 mg per day

5-Hydroxytryptophone

Or a precursor of Serotonin not only maintains a normal appetite, but also relaxes. Take 5-Hydroxytryptophone in the evening or when you feel another strong urge to eat.

Dosage: 200 mg per day

L-glutamine

Helps fight the strong. You can take L-glutamine up to 3 times a day when you feel the desire to eat sweets.

Dosage: 500 mg up to 3 times a day

Ashwagandha

Saffron extract

Helps fight depression due to longer activation of neurotransmitters. For example, this one.

St. John's wort

Or St. John's grass. It is successfully used for natural and gentle treatment of depression. It has the same effect as many antidepressants. Naturally increases serotonin synthesis, which improves mood and reduces anxiety and irritability.

L-tyrosine

Responsible for the production of Dopamine, which is often out of balance in those suffering from uncontrolled eating.

Ginkgo biloba

Helps fight depression and all the ensuing consequences. Improves well-being and gives us more energy. I have here

Every person at least once in his life, got up from the table with a full stomach. If this rarely happens and he can control his appetite at such moments (just allowed himself to relax and enjoy delicious dishes), then there is nothing terrible and pathological in this. An evening walk, an extra hour in the gym, a fasting day will not allow extra calories to be deposited on the body in unnecessary places.

It is a completely different matter if this happens unconsciously and every time - after another transferred stress. This is already compulsive overeating - an eating disorder, the main cause of which is negative emotions. Leads to excess weight, and in the absence of appropriate measures - to obesity.

What it is?

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, compulsive overeating is a disease, and it is designated as a diagnosis by a separate code - 307.51 (F50.8). If a person in a state of stress awakens just a brutal appetite, with which he is unable to fight, we are talking about an eating disorder. This is not the norm. Moreover, both serious situations (death of a loved one, dismissal from work) and minor unpleasant moments that cause negative emotions (the boss raised his voice, a quarrel with a loved one) can provoke an attack.

The second name of the disease, common in medical circles - psychogenic overeating - most fully reflects its essence. This is an uncontrolled appetite, which is due not to physiological, but to mental causes.

Unfortunately, the habit of eating any problem with a large amount of tasty and high-calorie food is one of the most common reasons.

Diagnoses. This same diagnosis can sometimes sound like a hyperphagic stress response.

Causes

To overcome compulsive overeating, you need to understand its causes. In fact, there are only 2 of them: stressful situations and experiences. But it's one thing when a person is in a prolonged depression and grieves over the loss of a loved one. And it’s completely different when suspicious and vulnerable girls begin to absorb cakes and cakes in huge quantities just because the zipper on their favorite dress has broken today or the husband did not congratulate them on their wedding anniversary. In the first case, serious psychotherapeutic assistance will be required, and in the second, a change in one's own worldview.

Sometimes women begin to suffer from it after a diet, thereby nullifying all efforts. The reason for this behavior: dissatisfaction with the results (I expected to lose 10 kg, but in the end I lost only 3 kg).

Despite the fact that overeating is called psychogenic, scientists are actively investigating the question of how it is influenced by genetic predisposition. To date, they have already isolated 3 genes, the presence of which leads to obesity as a result of a tendency to overeat. These genes received the following encodings - GAD2 (stimulates appetite), FTO, Taq1A1 (reduces dopamine levels).

Etymology. The term “compulsive” comes from the Latin word “compello”, which means “to compel”.

Clinical picture

The main symptoms of compulsive overeating can be noticed by both the person suffering from it and his relatives. They, as a rule, lie on the surface, and it is difficult to hide them:

• food as the only way to cope with sadness, longing, loneliness;
• unwillingness to show the problem to other people leads to its absorption in solitude;
• the need to eat to satiety;
• loss of control over appetite and the process of eating food;
• eating even in the absence of hunger;
• eating an abnormally large amount of food in a short period of time;
• feelings of self-loathing and guilt after seizures;
• pronounced gluttony during stress.

The main thing in the clinical picture is the inability to control one's own appetite. Every time, as soon as a person begins to get nervous, worry, suffer, he drowns out his mental anguish with a huge portion of something tasty, and sometimes he himself does not notice that he eats much more than his norm.

Since it is most often mentally unbalanced people who suffer from it, who perceive everything that happens very close to their hearts, they become prisoners of this disorder for a long time. Young girls and teenagers are most often at risk. Although men who are embarrassed to openly express their emotions can also seize problems with salted fish in the evenings and drink beer in unlimited quantities.

Another feature of the disorder is that in a state of stress, the patient rarely eats soups, cereals, fruits or vegetables, the benefits of which for his health would be obvious. Usually fast food is used, something fried, fatty and salty, soda (especially energy drinks) and alcoholic drinks. Accordingly, the result is a rapid weight gain. In the absence of the necessary measures to block appetite, everything ends with obesity and related diseases.

Diagnostics

With the problem of compulsive overeating, you can contact a therapist (he will give a referral to the right specialist) or directly to a psychotherapist, since he is the one who treats this disease. Since no tests and instrumental research methods can confirm or refute this diagnosis, a regular interview is used and a special test is performed.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the diagnosis is confirmed when 3 out of 5 criteria are met:

1. The feeling of fullness in the stomach after eating causes discomfort.
2. Even a large portion is eaten very quickly, almost imperceptibly.
3. Self-loathing, depressed mood, guilt after overeating.
4. Eating in the absence of hunger.
5. Eating alone.

Treatment

If a person wondered how to deal with his abnormal eating behavior, this is already a good sign. This means that he is aware of the existence of a problem and the need to solve it as soon as possible. Getting rid of compulsive overeating on your own is very difficult - almost impossible. Therefore, you need to start with a visit to a specialist - and best of all a psychotherapist. It is he who will prescribe the right course of treatment in accordance with the individual characteristics of the patient.

Therapy will be carried out in two directions at once, since the disease is complex. It combines psychological and physiological factors.

Firstly, the disorder leads to weight gain, followed by obesity, metabolic syndrome, metabolic disorders, excessive stress on internal organs, hepatosis and other concomitant diseases. This whole bouquet will have to be treated.

Secondly, it is necessary to eliminate the root cause of overeating, that is, to pull a person out of a depressive state, reduce his suspiciousness and constant nervous breakdowns.

Psychotherapy

To overcome compulsive overeating, a psychotherapist can offer several methods of treatment - depending on the condition and personal characteristics of the patient.

• Group psychotherapy

If overeating is due to insufficient socialization (a person is highly dependent on the opinions of others), special self-help groups are created. Their task is to relieve emotional and nervous tension by increasing self-esteem. The patient begins to communicate with other patients and understands that he is not alone, that he can be treated well and, in fact, everything is not so bad with his communication skills. In 20% of cases, this is enough to cope with the disease.

This also includes family therapy, if uncontrolled gluttony is dictated by problems with one of the family members. This technique is most often used to treat children.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

This course is considered the most effective and ... fast (and it lasts up to 5 months, so imagine how long other directions will take). Here, such tasks as self-acceptance by the patient, overcoming stress, teaching self-control, identifying opportunities to change habitual reactions to events and stereotypes in behavior, and improving the quality of life are solved.

• Interpersonal Psychotherapy

Allows you to achieve high efficiency in treatment. It is not inferior in this to cognitive behavioral therapy, but it requires a longer course - from 8 to 12 months. Allows the patient to feel like a part of society, learn how to adequately communicate with other people, get out of a closed state. When a person perceives himself as a self-sufficient person, he no longer treats every word from outsiders as a personal insult. This reduces the degree of anxiety, allows you to be more stress-resistant, which means that gluttony is over.

• Suggestion or hypnosis

A controversial technique, as it allows you to stop the development of the disease only for a certain period. But - quickly and immediately. If all the previous methods were useless, they resort to the help of hypnosis. Only 3-4 sessions - and the person recovers. The downside is that he does not realize how he got rid of the problem. But he retains the old model of responding to stress - overeating. In this regard, relapses are diagnosed in the future.

Going to a psychotherapist, you need to be aware that no one will offer magic pills (antidepressants are not). Recovery is a real struggle with the disease, in which the patient himself plays the main role. If he has an irresistible desire to get rid of the disease, if he has patience, then everything will work out. If the course of therapy is violent (the relatives insisted), the process may drag on for years, but never bring results.

Nutrition

It is very important for compulsive overeating to properly organize nutrition: it is part of the therapy. Since the treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis, it falls on the shoulders of the patient himself. Due to the psychogenic nature of the disorder, it will be difficult for him and he will probably need the help of someone close to him so that they can control his appetite, meal schedule and portion size from the outside. What recommendations should be followed?

1. Learn to distinguish psychological hunger from biological. Satisfy only the last one. Do not neglect the help of family and friends, let them take control of your meals.

2. Find an alternative way to relieve nervous tension (this can be a hobby, sports, music, movies, books, dancing). As a last resort, if there is none, as soon as you feel an irresistible desire to eat something, go outside and breathe as deeply as possible.

3. Eat predominantly low-calorie foods. Do not go to restaurants, cafes and fast food establishments. Do not buy many products at once. Do not buy harmful cakes, pastries, sausages. Let the kitchen have only healthy fruits, vegetables, yogurts, cottage cheese, etc.

4. Don't diet. Avoid pointless grocery shopping. Do not watch cooking TV shows, do not leaf through recipe books. Do not discuss food with anyone. Stock up on small dishes that will eliminate the use of large portions.

5. Do not put strict bans on your favorite foods - allow yourself to relax at least once a week (not to the point of overeating, but 1 pack of chips will not hurt). If you drive yourself into too strict limits of limited nutrition, stress will increase, and with it, the likelihood of breaking loose will increase.

The best option is to consult a nutritionist. Depending on the degree of neglect of the disease and the patient's eating habits, he will be able to develop an individual diet and menu. This will help you recover faster.

Medicines

Drug treatment involves the appointment of sedatives. To cope with nervous strain and, as a result, to forget about food help:

• antidepressants, especially from the group of selective inhibitors, are Sertraline, and Fluvoxamine;
• antiepileptic drugs: Valparin, Benzobarbital, Maliazin, Depamid, Sibazon;
• obesity pills: Orlistat, Senade, Glucobay, Goldline;
• and there is also a drug, the only one of its kind, that was developed specifically for the treatment of compulsive overeating - this is Lizdexamfetamine, and in 2015 it was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Vyvanse and Elvanse with lisdexamfetamine (English lisdexamfetamine) are psychostimulants from the amphetamine group used in the treatment of compulsive overeating

Lizdexamfetamine is a psychostimulant from the amphetamine group, which is actively used in the West. Contains natural amino acid. It goes on sale under different names depending on the country:

• Vivanse ( Vyvanse) - in USA;
• Venvanse ( Venvanse) - in Brazil;
• Elvanse ( Elvanse) - in the UK and other European countries;
• Tivense ( Tyvense) - in Ireland.

Available in capsules of various sizes - from 10 to 70 mg. Often provokes the development of such side effects as:

• insomnia;
• dizziness;
• diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, discomfort and pain in the stomach;
• significant weight loss;
• irritability;
• too much loss of appetite up to its complete absence;
• dry mucous membranes;
• tachycardia;
• anxiety state.

Lizdexamfetamine is banned in Russia as it belongs to amphetamine derivatives. This drug is included in the list of narcotic and psychotropic substances under strict control in the Russian Federation.

Folk remedies

In addition to the organization of proper nutrition, you can treat compulsive overeating at home, including in the diet products to reduce appetite and at the same time have a calming effect. But you don’t need to engage in their selection on your own - it is advisable to discuss such moments in detail with your doctor. He may recommend increasing your intake of:

• pineapple
• oranges;
• bananas;
• bitter chocolate;
• grapefruit
• green apples;
• leafy vegetables (cabbage, spinach);
• legumes;
• nuts;
• bran;
• dried fruits;
• cottage cheese;
• and etc.

In the morning (before breakfast) and in the evening (before going to bed), it is advisable to drink 200 ml of infusion from the following herbs and spices:

• marshmallow;
• hawthorn;
• ginger;
• cinnamon;
• nettles;
• burdock;
• alfalfa;
• mint;
• flax seeds;
• cumin;
• fennel.

To cure compulsive overeating, complex treatment will be required, which will include psychotherapeutic programs, the organization of proper nutrition, and taking medications, and the competent use of folk remedies. Only in this case, doctors give comforting forecasts for the future.

Consequences

If overeating is not overcome for a long time, this can have irreversible consequences, not only in physiological terms. As recent studies have shown, they will also affect human genetics.

Complications:

• hypertension;
• hormonal imbalance;
• blockage of arteries;
• metabolic syndrome;
• obesity;
• weakened immunity;
• increased blood sugar;
• diabetes;
• cardiovascular diseases.

Genetics

Compulsive overeating disrupts the genetic structure. A person suffering from this disorder and refusing treatment will leave a legacy of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease to their descendants. The genes responsible for the production of macrophages, which protect the body from infections and other negative factors, are also affected.

Given the structural genetic changes that are so dangerous for subsequent generations, it is imperative to cure.

Books

To learn more about the disease, you can read the following books:

Janine Roth. Feeding the Hungry Heart. The author herself once suffered from this disorder, so her advice will be especially valuable.

Susan Albers. 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food. Here it is described in detail how to distinguish physiological hunger from mental and be able to cope with the latter.

Susan Albers. I deserve this chocolate! (But I Deserve This Chocolate!). The writer explains why food should not be used as a reward.

Compulsive overeating is not just an eating disorder, but a serious disease that requires treatment in different directions. It is necessary to calm the nervous system, and bring mental balance back to normal, and eliminate concomitant diseases. Therefore, the next time, seizing another problem with a piece of cake, think about it: is it not a pathology?

Reasons for compulsive overeating:

• life is filled with a large number of negative emotions, problems and disappointments, which of them consciousness perceives as inevitable;
• no desire to have a sexual life with your spouse;
• overtaken by fatigue and apathy, when you do not want to lead an active life, and there is less demand from fat people;
• depression associated with any precipitating factor.

Not a single disease of the digestive tract or neurological leads to overeating. The problem is considered exclusively in a psychological way.

Independent ways to deal with the problem:

Psychologists' advice:

• Never berate yourself for an extra piece of cake or a box of chocolates.. If they are already eaten, then you need to calm down and enjoy the feeling of satiety, a pleasant aftertaste;
• don't ignore genetics. You have to accept your heritage. Otherwise, overeating is almost inevitable, and with it severe, prolonged apathy and depression;
• starving is strictly prohibited, even if you need to lose weight quickly. Firstly, such behavior does not give positive results, and secondly, overeating in this case becomes inevitable.

Often without the help of professionals can not do, but if you have willpower and a great desire not only to lose weight, but also to get rid of food addiction, everything is real.

It is believed that any habit is strengthened at a subconscious level and is worked out to automatism in 2 weeks. Work on yourself takes place in stages:

• 1 Week. You need to understand why the problem appeared, what provokes it. To do this, you can keep a diary and record all the events, after which the consumption of a huge amount of food followed. Find out the irritating factors, if possible, eliminate them.
• The simplest thing is to ask yourself the question before each meal: “Is there really hunger and want to eat?” You need to close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and exhale, then find the answer in your subconscious.
• 2 weeks. It is important to learn to stop while eating. You need to instill a habit as follows: after eating half a serving, put aside cutlery and eat nothing for 5 minutes. You can leave the table, to distract yourself with something. If after 5 minutes the feeling of hunger is still bothering, then you can continue the meal, but in most cases people are surprised to find that the remaining food is not needed.
• The second way: put half the food on the plate than usual, and take a teaspoon, blindfold and start eating slowly, thoughtfully.

• 3 weeks. It is necessary to clean the refrigerator from harmful products, filling it with high-quality and healthy food. The habit should take root in just a week, and in the future this will not be needed. You can go shopping once a week, having previously compiled a menu and a list of products. While shopping, you can afford dumplings, pizza, and a cake. Here it is important to take not in kilograms, but half of 0.5 kg of dumplings, a small size of the pie, etc.

After going through all the stages, three new and, most importantly, correct skills are fixed at the subconscious level:

If a psychotherapist is involved in solving the problem, the result will be obtained faster and will be fixed for a long time.

Options for getting rid of the consequences of overeating (heaviness, nausea, heartburn and unpleasant belching, intestinal colic, increased gas formation):

• plentiful drink: pure water, green tea with ginger, but without sugar. This will ensure the fastest digestion of food in the stomach and the removal of toxins;
• walk in the fresh air. Even not too active activity accelerates the functioning of the digestive tract and quickly relieves flatulence;
• kefir and any other fermented milk drinks. They contain substances that break down foods in the stomach as quickly as possible into fibers and facilitate their movement into the intestines;
• Activated carbon. This is a drug that is taken at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of body weight;
• "Mezim" or "Festal"- enzyme agents, taken 1-2 tablets immediately after the fact of overeating.

If discomfort after overeating is present for several days, and no measures bring relief, urgent need to seek qualified medical attention. This is fraught with intestinal obstruction and other severe and dangerous pathological conditions.

Read more in our article on how to get rid of overeating.

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The psychology of overeating

As strange as it may sound, but nutritionists consider overeating to be normal. But only if this happens rarely, and control over the amount of food consumed is not lost. If a person begins to constantly think about food, and gets up from the table only when he can no longer physically chew and swallow, then we will talk about a pathological phenomenon - compulsive overeating. And this indicates problems of a psychological nature:

Not a single disease of the digestive tract or neurological leads to overeating. If such a problem exists, then it is considered exclusively in a psychological way.

How to get rid of compulsive overeating

If a person himself understands that he often suffers from overeating and cannot independently limit himself in food, then he needs to contact a specialist. And it should not be a nutritionist, but a psychotherapist. But more often than not, the problem can be dealt with on its own, just follow the recommendations of experts:

• anxiety, fears, irritation - these are all factors that can trigger overeating. Therefore, you need to try to calm down on your own and not rush to the refrigerator, but sit quietly in an armchair, lie down and relax, unwind to calm music;

Meditation

• You need to get used to eating by the hour. This will take about a month, so you will need to be patient. In this case, hunger will not disturb at any time of the day, but only at certain hours;
• trite, but you need to carefully chew every piece of food, not be distracted by books and TV. Few people observe this common truth, but it is enough to conduct an experiment: put yourself a small portion of food, focus on the process and consume food slowly, thoughtfully. It will be surprising, but the feeling of satiety will arise even before the end of what is on the plate. As soon as the first signal of the onset of satiety arrives, you need to get up and leave the table, no additives and one more bite. Doctors say that if there is no pleasure in eating, then the body simply does not need calories;
• if there is a feeling of hunger, then you need to drink water and do some home or office work, get distracted. And in case of further signals about the need to eat, you can take a meal, it will take a maximum of 20 minutes to determine this;
• in case of a burning desire to eat a plate of Russian salad or sandwiches with sausage and butter, you should not deny yourself this pleasure. Thoughts of forbidden but delicious foods will be constantly present, and all this will end in overeating. Better 100 g here and now than 1 kg in 2 days or 2 weeks.

There are other tips from psychologists:

• you should never scold yourself for an extra piece of cake or a box of sweets, if they are already eaten, then you need to calm down and enjoy the feeling of satiety, a pleasant aftertaste;
• don't ignore genetics. If you inherited a round face or full legs, then you should not torture your body and be upset by the lack of results. Because with such behavior, overeating is almost inevitable, and with it severe, prolonged apathy and depression;
• starving is strictly prohibited, even if you need to lose weight quickly. Firstly, such behavior does not give positive results, and secondly, overeating in this case becomes inevitable - the body simply cannot stand such a hassle.

Until you stop overeating, you will not be able to reduce body weight even if you follow a low-calorie diet and regular exercise. Yes, it will be very difficult, often you cannot do without the help of professionals, but if you have willpower and a great desire not only to lose weight, but also to get rid of food addiction, everything is available.

Watch this video about compulsive overeating and how to deal with it:

Independent methods at home

Overeating is a bad eating habit. You can get rid of it only by getting used to the new rules. It is believed that any habit is strengthened at a subconscious level and is worked out to automatism in 2 weeks. How to get rid of overeating during this period of time? You need to do this work in stages.

First week

You need to understand why the problem appeared, what provokes it. To do this, you can keep a diary and record all the events, after which the consumption of a huge amount of food followed. You will have to analyze your life and find out annoying factors, if possible, eliminate them.

The simplest thing is to ask yourself the question before each meal: “Is there really hunger and want to eat?”. Moreover, it should not be simple and not requiring an answer. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths in and out, and only then find the answer in your subconscious.

food diary

Second week

It is important to learn to stop while eating. And you need to instill this habit as follows: after eating half the portion, put aside the cutlery and eat nothing for 5 minutes. You can leave the table, get distracted by washing dishes, put the kettle on and make tea. If after 5 minutes the feeling of hunger is still bothering, then you can continue the meal, but in most cases people are surprised to find that the remaining food is not needed.

If it is difficult to carry out such a manipulation, then you can resort to another, but it is better to do it alone. It is necessary to put half the food on a plate than it usually takes at one time, and take a teaspoon. Next, blindfold and start eating slowly and thoughtfully. Nothing will distract from the analysis of your own feelings, you can stop in time and be very surprised when you remove the bandage and see half of what was supposed to be on the plate.

Reducing portion of food

Third week

The refrigerator needs to be cleaned. Do not wash, namely, clean it from harmful products, filling it with high-quality and healthy food. It is unlikely that you will be able to start eating vegetables or fruits if they are not at home, but your eyes will definitely catch on a cake or dumplings. The habit of cleaning the refrigerator should be instilled in just a week, and in the future this will not be needed. You will go shopping once a week, having previously compiled a menu and a list of products.

Do not categorically reject your favorite dishes. So getting rid of overeating will not work, but it is quite possible to provoke a gastronomic breakdown. Therefore, while shopping, you can afford dumplings, pizza, and a cake. Here it is important to take not in kilograms, but half of 0.5 kg of dumplings, a small size of a pie or pizza, and so on.

Having gone through all the stages, at the subconscious level, three new and, most importantly, correct skills are fixed:

• before each meal, make sure that it is really necessary;
• stop halfway through a meal
• periodically clean the refrigerator and plan a menu of healthy dishes.

Overeating will become simply impossible with this approach, and if a psychotherapist is involved in solving the problem, the result will be obtained faster and for a long time.

Watch this video on how to deal with hunger:

How to get rid of the consequences of overeating - feelings of heaviness and other sensations

Overeating always leads to unpleasant consequences - nausea and a feeling of heaviness, heartburn and unpleasant belching, intestinal colic, increased gas formation. It is necessary to solve the general problem of food addiction thoroughly and often with the help of specialists, but you need to get rid of the consequences of overeating quickly. What experts recommend:

If discomfort after overeating is present for several days and no measures bring relief, you should urgently seek qualified medical help. The fact is that this is fraught with intestinal obstruction and other severe and dangerous pathological conditions.

If there is a problem of gastronomic disruptions, then you should seek help from a psychologist. You can carry out some actions yourself at home, but no one guarantees a positive result.

Useful video

Watch this video on how to get rid of food addiction:

Step 1. Reframe the question. You can not get rid of from compulsive overeating, because a behavior that has already appeared once is extremely problematic to kill - it can only be replaced with an incompatible one or reduce harm. By analogy, it is extremely problematic to kill 100% of the hares in the forest, but you can populate the forest with wolves or protect the hares so that they eat not all, but certain areas of grass. You can determine if there is a problem with the wording of the question by asking yourself, "Can a dead person do this?". Can a dead person not overeat compulsively? Yes, maybe he's dead, he's definitely not overeating. Can draw? No, he can not. Understanding that something is wrong with the question is the first step to solving the problem. I think the question can be reformulated as "How to eat in smaller portions?".

Step 2: Choose behaviors that are incompatible with overeating. The problem that arises when trying to get rid of behavior is the continuity of behavior. You can not not to do, at each moment of time there is one or another behavior. I cannot choose this behavior for you - this behavior can be anything that is important to you. Drawing, working, chatting with friends, studying, reading etc - you need to choose what you will do in the time freed from compulsive overeating. Ask yourself "What would I do if the problem suddenly magically disappeared?", "What prevents me from doing compulsive overeating?". Answering the question is the second step to solving the problem. For example, "I would eat portions from a smaller plate, and then I would go for a walk / read / socialize, even though I still want to eat."

Step 3.1. Training incompatible behavior in the presence of the desire to eat. Consists of several parts. Firstly, you need to identify experiences that motivate you to eat more than you need. Remember the desire to eat and write down as many of its signs as possible - sensations in the body (arms / legs / head / chest / stomach, etc.) and thoughts that arise (for example, “Come on, nothing will come of one more serving”, “You don’t care fat" etc). Secondly, it is useful to practice simply doing something incompatible with food in the presence of these sensations. For example, you can make an audio recording with cues like "You feel hungry", "You have a bad feeling in your mouth", "Come on, go eat", made from the sensations and thoughts recorded in the first paragraph, and try to meditate for 5-10 minutes for breathing with audio recording turned on. This will create a context that is quite natural - the voice will urge you to eat, and you will try to focus on your breathing. Your task is to notice what the voice is saying and go back to feeling the breath, inhalation and exhalation. Don't waste time trying to argue with the lines and push them away - notice what the voice is saying and go back to feeling the breath. You can extend the meditation up to 20 minutes if you feel ready, or change the task - for example, instead of meditation on breathing, you can use looking at an object, write or draw.

Step 3.2. Incompatible behavior in the presence of the desire to eat. In parallel with training the general ability to do something productive in the presence of the desire to eat - learn to notice it and return to the behavior that you chose in the second step. If you have replaced overeating with something that is important to you, then incompatible behavior should quickly take root. If the new behavior does not take root - perhaps the behavior does not lead to the desired result (for example, you need communication for the sake of intimacy and you do not get it, or you need study for the sake of recognition, but study does not allow this in the current form) or is punished (this happens, if there are people interested in the unwanted behavior). It is difficult to foresee all possible problems, so if you realize that you cannot influence overeating in any way, contact a specialist who will help you figure out where and what went wrong. A book that can be helpful in self-help and help follow the instructions above -