Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all. Can anyone tell me if binge eating is an autistic trait? I had a knee injury a few years ago and as a result of not being able to exercise I got a bit down, started eating a lot of crap, and my weight ballooned. Prior to this I was always in pretty good shape. I have in the last 7 months managed to lose 11 kilos, mainly because I felt so tired and lethargic all the time carrying the extra bulk. I did it by going on the keto diet which has worked well as I never seem to be hungry on it and I find it easy to be disciplined during the week. The downside of keto is that carbohydrates are severely restricted, and come the weekend I get this overwhelming urge to eat carbs. You could argue that it's just my body craving what I'm denying it but I have a feeling it's more to do with routine. Friday comes, I finish work early, on my way home I stop at a supermarket to buy myself a little treat because I've worked hard all week, then the minute I get inside the store I just fill my basket with a ridiculous amount of junk food (not all carbs I hasten to add). I sit watching TV on a Friday night stuffing myself until I almost feel sick because I bought way too much. I never leave any of the food for another day because my brain tells me I'm only allowed that one day to have treats. I hate food waste so I never throw any of it away. It's a cycle I've tried to break countless times, and to be fair to myself I am still losing weight despite my single day of gorging, but if I manage to deny myself on a Friday it just seems to roll over to a Saturday instead. If I try to limit myself to say just a bag of crisps, or a chocolate bar I get in a foul mood once I've eaten it because I always wish I'd got more and feel cheated. Anyone else relate?
Twitch said: I sit watching TV on a Friday night stuffing myself until I almost feel sick because I bought way too much.
Been there - got the therapy and found a way out.
What is most likely happening is that you are substituting the junk food as a source of dopamine for your brain (that quick sense of pleasure you get from giving yourself the reward) - giving more and more is not working so you keep trying.
The way out is to find healthy replacements for the dopamine source - maybe take up exercise, charity work or something else that makes you feel more wholesome.
Short term try to find healther "quick hits" like fruit, but in moderation.
It takes discipline to stop the junk coming in and creativity to find the replacement, but you should be able to do it.
Hi Iain,
What you're saying makes a lot of sense. It is definitely a quick fix I'm after and nothing seems to scratch that itch like junk food. Because that type of food only satisfies certain cravings it does leave you searching for something more. I've never done drugs but I can imagine it's a similar principle. Starting on the soft stuff then moving on to harder fixes when they no longer get you where you want to be.
I used to eat loads of fruit and I think because it's so high in sugar it was one of the main reasons I struggled to lose weight. On keto it's a bit of a no no, apart from certain berries, so for now I'm going to carry on while I'm still losing weight. Once I hit target I will go back to a more balanced diet, and hopefully maintain the growing exercise regime I have developed since I shed a few kilos.
I'm also quite a keen writer so try to occupy myself with that as much as possible. I'm just coming to the end of my fourth book and the prospect of publishing my next work acts as a great distraction to the point where I sometimes forget to eat at all when the words are flowing. I don't keep junk food at home so there's nothing to tempt me meaning I would have to walk away from my laptop to get something from a local shop. I think finishing work early on a Friday has become the trigger for stopping on the way home to buy crap food. Maybe it's that I need to break free of. I'm not sure binge eating is an autistic trait in itself but I'm discovering more and more just how much routines are. Breaking routines upsets me more than I realised, especially if it's due to someone else, in which case the blame game comes into play. Because the binge eating is a solitary routine I feel like I should be able to break it if I try a little harder. Easier said than done when it denies you a reward your brain tells you that you really deserve.
Thanks for the advice.
Twitch said:I don't keep junk food at home so there's nothing to tempt me
This is the way!
I find the easiest way to keep those demons at bay is to allow myself a specific reward (e.g. 100g bar of chocolate or big mars bar / bounty) on a specific occasion.
To make the most of it I purposefully switch off the TV and focus entirely on the treat while eating it - savouring every small mouthfull, noting how much is left and generally making a real meal out of it.
This means the sensations of enjoyment are heightened to give a bigger dopamine hit. It also means that you don't get to the end of it and don't remember tasting it like you do if watching a film at the same time.
The high lasts a lot longer and seems to keep the craving satisfied for longer.
I avoid having more in the house to stop relapses of eating more and give a reasonable gap between these treats so it does not become common and devalued.
I've also changed to just having breakfast and lunch with a small, healthy snack in the evenings and this is helping me lose weight quite effectively.
Excellent suggestion. This Friday I am going to buy a single item and wait until I'm relaxed and settled before eating it as slowly as possible, making it an event in itself. I can see where that would heighten the experience and reduce the need for further stimulation. Great advice. Thank you.