too many problems

[wanna_win]

I'll try to keep it short and simple.

I'm male, 27 and live in the US.

I've had a extremely traumatic and painful past, experienced a lot of loss, neglect, abuse of all kinds, and bullying; now I have a lot of severe physiological health and psychiatric problems, which I take many medications for and go to 2 groups a week as well as therapy once every two weeks, psychiatrists every 2 months and general practitioner every 3 months or so. I also see several specialists.

I now weight 375 lbs and have a peculiar habit of having a strong craving for food and subsequently eating massive amounts of food right before I fall asleep. I'm (mostly) conscious of what I'm doing, just can't seem to control myself. I really believe I may have something called "Night Eating Syndrome", a condition that was being considered to be added to the DSM-V, but I don't know if they actually are going to add it. I take 3 medications for the some of the problems that the night eating causes me, including Gastro-Esophegeal-Reflux-Disorder.

I've dealt with bulimia and anorexia around age 15-16.

I had my first experience with psychosis (a feature of schizophrenia) around 17-18 and eventually went on disability after being diagnosed with schizophrenia around age 19-20.

The medications I take contribute greatly to my strong appetite. They also decrease my energy and make it difficult to exercise.

I've started making diet changes recently to very low fat foods, so I'm off to a good start. However I have yo-yo dieted probably 7 times in my life.

I don't think I have the discipline to have bariatric surgery because of my uncontrollable habit of eating at night.

Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

 

[JustMe1381]

Hi Wanna_Win,
Congrats on already making diet changes! I still need to figure out my diet, but since I am moving, I am trying to get rid of stuff in my fridge! (Or is that my excuse du jour?) Hearing everything that you are doing already with all the doctors and therapists and groups - it is inspiring - and you are taking control of your body - so the weight will be controlled as well!
Good Luck,
Lauren

 

[Omega]

It sounds like you are doing great. You have made some positive changes already. I think that the solution to the yoyo dieting issue is to try to not think of it as a diet but of a new lifestyle which is going to last for the rest of your life... then you never get to the end of the diet to start creeping back up...

I think that it is very important that you keep on seeing your doctors and discussing with them your wish to attain a healthy body... they are experts and can help you in ways that we cannot...

We can however give suggestions for you to discuss with them and cheer you on as you attempt to deal with your excess weight.

Thoughts that come to mind is that a lot of people mistake feelings of thirst and hunger... They think that they are hungry when they are really thirsty... no matter how much they eat they will still have those feelings so it might be an idea to ensure that you are drinking enough water... there are all sorts of calculations that we can do to ensure that we are drinking enough... a lot of people do not realise that we should drink more water if we are heavy... a simple way of seeing if you are definitely not drinking enough water is to look in the toilet bowl before you flush. Check whether your urine is clear (like water)... if it is not - you should probably be drinking more water.

People can like to keep their mouth occupied - so some people benefit from chewing some sugar free gum... particularly at danger times of day - like in the last hour or two of the evening when they may be watching tv.

There is no denying that we can sometimes find a full tummy to be a comforting feeling - but we have to remember that it does have its negative side if it causes us to have an unhealthy body. It may be worth experimenting with other things that may be comforting... a whole heap of possibilities ranging from a relaxing bath, burning oils, a hug, a massage all spring to mind...

 

[Half_of_Bri]

I want to start off first with saying that you are not alone. As a victim of many years of abuse, depression, anxiety, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, I understand how difficult it is to feel isolated in your "problems". But you're not alone, you have us! I'm about your age (28) and also at the beginning of my journey. For many years I've yo-yo dieted as well, but as I've gotten older and through many years of counseling I realize that my eating stems from my emotions, which many can relate to. You CAN do this, you're already on the right track. You don't have "too many problems", just a few extra hurdles to knock down. Stick with it, turn to us and your doctors for support and motivation, and never, never, never give up. I can't wait to see your success! You got this!