I'm sooooo glad there is a forum dedicated to binge eaters. It's something I've struggled with for a very long time, and something I'm very embarrassed about.

My usual triggers are anxiety, boredom and thirst. The last one seems weird but if I'm dehydrated at all I will eat and eat and eat and eat.

I punish myself with food. I've noticed that when I start getting down to a good weight I tend to get anxious and start eating badly again.

I was down to 141 this past spring only to get into a car accident with my 2 kids, who were 2 and 4 1/2 at the time. A man ran a red light and hit us nearly head on. I don't remember the impact, but when I came to I saw my son just hanging there in his car seat. My daughter was screaming with blood running out of her mouth, and I couldn't get my door open to get to them. I had overwhelming anxiety for months after that. My husband was deployed and due to come home within a couple of months. I didn't want him to have to come home then go right back overseas, so I told him to stay. Driving anywhere would reduce me to tears. I couldn't work out because of an injury from the accident, and the anxiety from the accident and the fear of gaining all the weight I lost triggered binge after binge.

Years ago I promised myself no more purging after a binge, and happily (sort of) I stopped. This resulted in me gaining 17lbs from May to August. Not a big big amount, but to me, all the hard work I had put in was like it never happened and I was upset.

I can't keep Oreos, cookies, whole cakes and things like that in the house. I'm getting better though. I used to eat an entire loaf of bread in one sitting, one piece of buttered toast at a time. The more I'd eat, the more anxious I'd become and the more I'd eat. I can say no to Oreos now, and have successfully kept them in the house without eating a single one, but they're still on my "bad" list.

I look forward to getting to know some of you!

First of all, welcome to 3FC. This place have been an important tool to my weight loss. I too have a binge problem and still working on it.
One thing that helps me to have a bit of control of it is reading books that let me know more about the problem I have.
I still doing bad, but I believe I do better than if I didn't read the books.
Here are some that were very helpful to me:
# 1 ever: The Thin Commandments by Stephen Gullo
Mindless Eating - Brian Wansink
Beck Diet for Life - Judith Beck
Such a Pretty Fat - Jen Lancaster
and much, much others
Here area a link to a threat with tons of book recommendations:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/main...se-weight.html
I am now reading How to Overcome Overeating - David Kessler
Hope this helps and Good luck to you!!!!

My dear,
I feel for you. Just reading your post I can sense the sadness and stress you feel. I think your actions are normal, we all (or most of us) tend to turn to food to cure the feelings we have.
The accident was not your fault. Do you have a support group or even someone to talk to? Perhaps someone from church or a councilor you can go to? Sometimes talking about something so traumatic can help.
As for the weight, well, you did it before you can do it again. Every day is a new day and with support from this wonderful group here at 3FC you can do it. I wish you luck and please keep posting the people on this site have helped me so much and they can help you too.

*hugs* welcome welcome!!

I've done that "whole loaf of bread" thing too. Many times. And your binge triggers (anxiety, boredom and thirst) are the EXACT same as mine!!!

I think calming hobbies are key. Are you good with your hands? Knitting has done wonders for some of my friends. I'm not artistic/patient enough to knit, but reading, writing, and 3FC have been VERY helpful to me to combat the boredome trigger.

Good look, m'dear!