Re: emotions and eating

[Guest guest]

Hi Kim- that's great that you've been able to observe yourself as a Food Anthropoligist through this emotional time. It sounds like you are doing great at dealing with your emotions!! It must be hard to watch your son start down the same path you have travelled. You are doing the right thing by getting him to see a therapist.

Kipkabob

(Intuitive eating since September 2006)

Subject: emotions and eatingTo: IntuitiveEating_Support Received: Friday, October 24, 2008, 7:45 PM

Hi all,Boy have I had a time of it lately. I've been experiencing alot of emotions lately - fear, sadness and anxiety. I've been a Food Anthropologist through this time, and noticed that I definitely reach for carb-type foods when my emotions are running high. I've also noticed that I think about food alot when I'm experiencing an emotional time. Some times, I've eaten to soothe and comfort myself, other times, I've chosen not to. The times that I've chosen to sit with the feelings, I've been able to see that I"m needing attention and a feeling of being loved/cared for. I've tried some new ways of coping with that set of feelings - calling a good friend to talk, getting out of the house and walking (which I love), and giving myself permission to feel those feelings (I tend to talk myself out of uncomfy feelings such as "get over it" or "that's a ridiculous way to feel"). I've made some

growth here!Another tough thing I"m coping with is my 10 year old son's compulsive eating. He has gained alot of weight since Feb of this year. He's been dealing with some depression (runs in the family) as well as ADHD. He's been eating nearly non-stop on all carbs and sweets. It overwhelms me to see him going through this as it is exactly what I have gone through so many times in my life. I see his emotions are very close to the surface; he is very emotional by nature, but tries so hard to cover it up. He is intuitive and smart...and sad and using food to cope. He does see a therapist, but he just started seeing him recently. It took me a long time to find someone who deals with kids and depression/ADHD who was also taking new patients. I haven't even brought up the disordered eating stuff with his therapist yet. I'm afraid the doc will think I"m nuts! A 10 year old boy on his way to a

full blown eating disorder?? Thanks for listening everyone :)KimIE since Aug 08

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