Hello Sam, For such a long time I have felt over weight and fat, I've never been self confident and after things changed for me I've felt a whole lot worse. So I decided to begin Binge eating and either puking it back up or exercising for over three hours. I'm really worried it will turn to something way more serious. Please help me,
Hi there,
Eating problems can sometimes start with small things that start to have more and more of an impact on your relationship with food. It's important to get help as soon as possible, particularly if you've been experiencing eating problems for a while. Talking to someone can be difficult but it's important you get the support you need to recover.
There are different symptoms for different types of eating problems. Some involve not eating enough whereas others involve binge eating and forcing yourself to be sick. Sometimes the look or feel of food is difficult or for many people struggling with their body image can have a big effect. Only a doctor can diagnose an eating problem for certain but if you have some of these kinds of symptoms then it's definitely worth looking for help.
The support available can range from seeing a nutritionist - a specialist in diet and food - to a therapist. A good place to start is with your doctor though as they will be able to help you decide what help might work best for you.
Opening up and admitting there's a problem is often one of the hardest steps - and it prevents lots of people getting help at the right time. It can be difficult to talk to someone about an eating problem, but with a little preparation it's possible.
First decide who it is you want to tell - this could be any adult that you feel is able to support you in getting help. Once you have decided this, write down all of the things you'd like to say. Having the time to think and write down all of the important points will make it easier when it comes to talking about it. Once you're ready, take what you have written down with you and ask if you can talk to them about a problem you have.
If you'd like to practice talking about it, our counsellors are here to listen.
Thank you for sending me this letter, take care.
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
