Are binges causing depression, or depression causing binges?

My new friends, I am severly depressed. The only thing that helps is binge eating. I can't find any replacement for it. When I'm not binging, I'm thinking about it. I don't know how to stop. It feels like it's getting worse and worse as my depression gets worse and worse, but sometimes I wonder if it actually makes me depressed, all those blood sugars going crazy and out of balance.

Today I biked to a park, half an hour each way, then took a two hour hike. I know it was supposed to make me feel good, the endorphins and nature and all, but though it was peaceful, but I felt nothing. I just feel so numb. When I eat I don't feel numb. Then I carry the taste of what I ate in my mouth, and I just want more, and more. I'm so, so hungry!

I know depression is my trigger for binging, but I don't know how to get rid of the depression. I'm Bipolar and have tried every medication in the world for the past 20 years, but all the combination of meds I'm on does, is take away the edge.

Does anyone have some words of encouragement???

Hi InSoDeep,
I'm new here as well. I just want to tell you that my heart goes out to you. I hope you find some encouragement in knowing that there are other people who can, to some extent, understand what you are going though. I suffer from periods of depression and an ongoing struggle against BED. In my experience the binging causes more depression. I am most depressed while in the midst of a binge cycle (because almost inevitably the first day of binging turns into another and another until weeks are consumed with it). Binging causes me to want to hide from everyone and from reality. Isolation only causes more sadness.
I don't know if you have anyone you can talk to, any family nearby or friends to go see. But it helps me to try to go just *one* day without binging and then to go do something with other people. I suggest just one day without binging because getting my body over that awful physical state post-binge is what helps me break the cycle.
If you've been on meds perhaps that means you already have a doctor or therapist. Talking helps. At least to someone who understands or who won't judge you for struggling.
I hope your today is a little better than yesterday.

Hi and welcome.

I am sorry to hear you are struggling. I am BP too. One thing that crossed my mind with that is whether your meds are making things worse - I know some of mine certainly made me binge. I think that talking to a therapist about this would really help - both with the BED and the depression - there may be underlying reasons why you are behaving as you are. Please keep posting as ppl are listening. Thinking of you.

Cracked

I just came across this article which directly relates to your question:

http://helpforeatingdisorder.com/binge- ... epression/

I hope it helps.

I'm new here too. Actually had my first visit with a psychiatrist today as I'm in dire straits, between depression & this damn ED. This thread immediately caught my eye as I asked the doc the very same question - which came first, the depression or the ED? Left his office with a script for Prozac. Nice enough guy but it's so obvious he doesn't "get" this ED. He asked if I keep trigger foods out of the house & when I said, "Yes, but then I'll just drive to the store every day & buy something," his reply was that I need to just not do that. Oh really?! You mean it's that easy doc? Gee, why haven't I thought of that in 55 years?! Arghhhhh, for the life of me, I can't find a professional in this "Mayberry" area who actually understands eating disorders.

InSoDeep & StillFighting, I feel your pain. I AM in your pain. My latest binge cycle has lasted most of July & August. I won't go near the scale but have gained at least 20-25 lbs. Can barely squeeze myself into my loosest clothes & am now having to "layer" my tops. (The ladies know...wearing a t-shirt under a button-up top because there's no way to actually button!)

I waited anxiously for today's shrink appointment, hoping against hope something would click. Told myself no matter what, the bingeing stops tomorrow! I'll be eating right up until I go to bed (of course) & have planned tomorrow's food, but I know it's going to be a huge challenge to make it through the day. Good luck to you. We certainly understand how much this ED sucks.

Good luck ProjectConnie with your decision to stop binging. I hope it goes well and let us know how it is going.

Cracked

That is a good question. I'm wondering the same thing. I think that binge eating caused my depression (I'm not on meds for it, though)...but the weird thing is I get "highs" and "lows". Not manic highs...I just act much more social/friendly/energetic than I usually am...and this usually happens when I drink a lot of caffeine. The rest of the time, I'm usually just dull, but for whatever reason when I'm at school, I'm really good at hiding the fact that I'm in a lot of pain. Probably because I really don't feel like discussing anything at school, because most of my friends don't understand it. I have probably about 2 people in my entire life that truly understand my eating disorder (sadly, one is away at college and the other one I don't see much anymore) and a few that try really hard to understand what's going on, but since they've never dealt with binge eating or any eating disorder, they don't understand. There's such a stigma attatched to binge eating, and I hate it. Most people think that people with BED are greedy and out-of-control. Uggghhhh....

Sorry for the rant, but I know that in my case, my eating disorder caused my depression. I have pretty much always been a bubbly, but shy person who's always quietly making harmless jokes about what people say during class (and sometimes, I am that person) but ever since I've had an eating disorder, a lot of that has disappeared. Especially when I began to struggle with BED.