If you are experiencing ambivalence, both wanting and not wanting help for an eating problem, this is to be expected. Most people who are struggling with food issues have developed a very strong inner dichotomy: one part of the self recognizes that eating behavior is out of control, and another part of the self causes a lot of confusion by “taking care of” you with destructive behavior. Sometimes it takes getting really scared by dangerous physical symptoms caused by disordered eating to get someone with an eating problem into therapy. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is not to wait, not to tell yourself one more time, “that is the last time I binge and purge,” or use laxatives or eat everything in the house and then exercise for three days.

There is often a deeper nourishment lacking — an emotional or soul hunger going on underneath disordered eating. Exploration of the inner world is a means of navigating the emptiness commonly experienced by those with eating problems. If your eating problems have progressed to periods of food deprivation, bingeing, vomiting, laxative abuse or excessive exercise. this can be potentially life-threatening. I strongly urge getting professional help as soon as possible if you are experiencing these symptoms. If you recognize early signs of potential problems, therapy also can be an important preventative measure. Please check the resources I have gathered including websites and organizations as well as books on eating problems.

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