[H3rmit]

I am having difficulty with emotional eating, and I would like some help. I'm actually desperate enough to consider getting a counselor to help me. But what kind? There are all sorts. I don't know where to start, nor would I like to make it my life's work to research it all. Counseling in general has never helped me, but I thought this was a specific enough issue that is very common with many people and that there might be some sort of counseling that can deal with this. Any suggestions?

I know I need to soothe myself somehow other than by eating. I have difficulty identifying emotions when the idea to eat something non-nutritious but soothing kicks in. It becomes a compulsion, something very hard to dislodge from my mind. I hate it with a passion. My husband tells me that I have several times come to a black and white resolve about not eating certain things, but I always crumble. Only when I counted damn carbs on a spreadsheet did I manage to avoid the carb train or carb rollercoaster, ie carbs are soothing, but after an hour or so I want more. So generally I eat protein and vegetables mostly.

Anyone worked on these issues in counseling and have any inkling what sort of counselor/counseling I should be looking for? I didn't find any threads here on emotional eating, and just 8 with "eating" in the subject line. They didn't appear relevant to my question, though I didn't read them all in detail either.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: Now I looked at this eating thread which says a number of people ate more (comfort food - carbs) when they were facing tough issues in therapy.

http://forums.psychcentral.com/psych...s-come-up.html
I'm facing tough issues all the time. My life is never settled! So I really need to learn to soothe myself. I hate being in the city, because nature soothes me, but for now I'm stuck in the city.

Good topic. I too am an emotional eater and it's a problem that I have battled with it since childhood. I look forward to some suggestions from other's as I am frustrated as well and don't have a solution. I have brought it up to my Pdoc however we always start talking about other things so I have gotten no where.I was told to talk to a nutrtionist but I eat veggies, fruit and no red meat.
warm thoughts

[Fixated]

A nutritionist/dietitian could definitely help. They aren't just about what's good to eat etc. They can help you develop strategies and different thinking. I would particularly look for one who deals with disordered eating.

If it seems like you also need therapy for whatever is underlying your anxiety, you can look for Ts that specialize in emotional eating or eating disorders. Some people say CBT is good. I, personally, go to a psychodynamic therapist.

Good luck.

[H3rmit]

Originally Posted by Fixated

If it seems like you also need therapy for whatever is underlying your anxiety. . .

Well, I don't generally have anxiety, actually. If I am actually anxious, I don't eat, and I can deal with the anxiety. It's hard to identify what feelings there are - sometimes a sense of wanting a reward. I can see why you thought anxiety when I said soothing, but anxiety doesn't capture it. Hmm...

Thanks for your reply.

Edit: thinking about it more, I'd say it could be a tremendous dissatisfaction with life and sometimes boredom. I'm not depressed in the sense of can't get out of bed and so on. I am very enthusiastic and hard working in everything I do, just frustrated as heck with life. Wonderful husband, but another person can't really be my everything. I never liked having a human body and at age 50+ I am stuck having to care for one that never worked right and that I never understood. Talk about baggage, eh? That brought tears to my eyes to write, so I guess I am on to something.

[murray]

I also battle this issue. Overeaters Anonymous was suggested to me several years ago. I never tried it but might be something to look into.

[franki_j]

I used to have an ED and binge eat all the time. I finally sucked it up and went to a therapist, who cured me of my ED.

I specifically looked for people who specialized in binge eating. I had certain criteria I needed met: someone with a PhD, a female, and someone who specifically dealt with binging. That narrowed down the field a lot. SO I would suggest going into it with a specific list of criteria you need from your T. The website something-fishy.org is a good place to start, or Psychology Today website.

[H3rmit]

Originally Posted by franki_j

The website something-fishy.org is a good place to start, or Psychology Today website.

Something-fishy is useful, since I have no knowledge of "eating disorders." The PsychToday does actually have thrps in Canada, but reading their little ads and prices turned me off a heck of a lot.