[Blue_Bird]

How do you learn self control with things like compulsive eating and shopping when you're used to giving yourself whatever you want whenever you want. Is it just something you have to practice, are there any techniques?

[Crazy Hitch]

Hello Blue Bird

I found these nice blogs here on PsychCentral you may wish to read:

Self-Talk Helps Self-Control | Psych Central News

Planning Can Help Maintain Self-Control | Psych Central News

Studies Explore How Self-Control Works ? Or Doesn?t | Psych Central News

http://www.michaelinzlicht.com/wp/wp...d-resource.pdf

[ChipperMonkey]

I have a history of binge eating. My cravings would skyrocket and that would be the start of a binge. I did a little bit of research and discovered that supplementing with certain amino acids can help to curb cravings. I figured I'd give it a shot as I had nothing to lose. Well, one week in and my cravings are gone. I can eat ONE cookie instead of the whole box, I can eat ONE piece of candy instead of the whole package. Its pretty amazing. Of course, this won't help everyone, but I'm amazed at how much its helped me so I think its worth passing on this knowledge to others who struggle with cravings. (Maybe that's not part of your problem, and if so, then I apologize.)

[gayleggg]

I had a lot of impulse control problems and have found that I can conquer them with practice, but it wasn't easy. Now I have most of them under control except spending which I still have problems with now and then, depending on my mood.

[avlady]

i try to not have too many sweets around so i dont eat them just don't buy what you're craving especially when you're shopping

[Perna]

I redirect my interests. Do you want to overeat or buy stuff you don't use that uses up money you don't have? I'm thinking not.

Decide to study nutrition. Find a site that lets you play with nutritional needs and calories (like: NutritionData.com ) and give yourself a "budget" (say, 2000 calories) and see if you can get your 5+ fruits and vegetables, 25-35 grams of fiber, 60 protein, keep your potassium/magnesium/calcium ratios as close to optimal as possible (Ten important things to know about magnesium).

Studying nutrition helped me with both eating and the challenge of lowering calories versus how much to exercise, what to "spend" my calories on, etc. made it less likely that I would buy stuff. I converted my money wants into calories?

Or, another think I use to like to do is decide what I would do with $10,000,000? LOL Often I would start a non-profit organization and thinking about how I would spend money if I had it, what I would do specifically, etc. got me thinking about what I truly value/want and I'd come up with ways to get some of that on a smaller scale. I've collected all the change from my husband's and my spending for a month and come up with enough to pay for a delivery pizza :-) or I've collected the change for a year and cashed it in at a Coinstar kiosk/machine (in lots of grocery stores), getting to keep it all as an Amazon certificate which I then gave as a gift for Christmas? Start a little TreasuryDirect account and buy savings bonds or open a savings account to help save some money for future projects (and think of the future project -- school, therapy, vacation, etc.).

When you are tempted, you remind yourself of what matters more to you. Instead of it being a yes/no, "switch" (should I eat or not, spend this money or not) which is hard not to flick it becomes a real choice and that's much more fun/pleasurable and rewarding to work with.