Gem's Journal

yay! Glad i've got some interest!!! good on u ladies for getting the guts to take a look at this. ok, basically, i will need a good deal of effort from you - strength of mind and will power, to stick to the guidelines i give.
it worked for me, so it can for you, but you gotta really want it. it's got ot be something you really want to overcome - else it won't work.
the first step is to buy and read this book cover to cover: overcoming binge eating by Christopher G. Fairburn. this book is fantastic and worth it's weight in gold. believe me.
Then, you will need to keep a food diary. in real time (and i mean this!) THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS!!! which is annoying, because you gotta write about even the tiniest nibble of the corner of a biscuit, or any swig of a drink. you will need to write where you did this, what time, when, the context you did it in (i.e were u eating because it was lunchtime, you were hungery, and you were happy eating, or was it secretive, straight out of the jar, scooping handfuls in with your fingers? if the latter, try and think WHY you are doing this? is it a habit/ is it because you feel down? is it because you don't know what else to do with your time/ stress etc...
you will also need to write down whether you felt like what you ate was a "binge" (u know what i eman by that!) and whether you purged in any way e.g. vomiting/laxatives/diarretics/over-exercising or any other way to compensate for what you have done. again, write the time, date, place, and what you were feeling.
for an idea of the layout to do this in, refer to the book. it explains it in there in detail.

ok, that's enough for now - when you have done this for me - writing exactly what you have eaten and drank and done with regards to eating and drinking for a week (after you have got hold of and read the book first of course!) please email me what you have done (in a word doc, so i can read it please!) and i can then taylor the therapy to your specific needs. please be patient with me at the moment though - i am revising for exams that count towards my degree, so i am very busy and stressed at the moment, but i want to help! also, i can see the therapy has worked for me, bcoz i haven't binged - and i ALWAYS used to during exams!!! :)
ok, yes - please do this if you wish to recover and live a normal life!
once you get back to me - i will take you on the next steps.
i won't chase you up though - this is up to YOU and no-one else.
are you ready for the most life-changing experience of your lifetime!?
:)
we can do this!!!
:)

x x x

p.s. if u have any questions, just ask!

:)

x x x

good luck!

x

ok...fair enough BUT basically, the book alone means that people can overcome the disorder - many ppl do it that way. on their own. by themselves. no professional help. it's just that having a person who knows what their doing and has gone through it themselves would be very useful. basically, my therpaist was only there for support, and her words merely highlighted what was said in the book. at the end of the day, it's up to you if you want to get better or not. no therapist (no matter how professional they are) help you if you don't truly want to change. they are only there to keep you on the right track. i can do that. plus - i know what it's like to have an eating disorder mindset - they don't ! there's nothing worse, when u r with ur therapist, explaining how u feel, seeing them looking confused because they really don't understand how your mind works due to the ed.
also, not everyone can afford professional help - this may be the only thing they can do. it may be their only hope.
surely, anything is worth a try? their experiences won't make them worse, only better, or nothing at all.
and, also, i thing it is wrong to claim it is a proper "disease", it is a mindset, that CAN be changed, and therefore "cured". ok, it will still be there to some extent, but the thoughts are much lessened.
i appreciate your concern though...
thank you for showing me the error i made using those words... but i FEEL cured...
ok, maybe i should just say how i did it, but i'm afraid that that won't be enough...
but, i spose, if ppl can do it by the book alone, then i spose my advice is not necessarily needed...
but i know that i definitely wouldn't have done it just by using the book alone!
ok...well, maybe you are right. i was only trying to help, because i know how life-devestating it can feel to be taken over by food and have it control your life - social and home life included...
well, people can make their own choice: if they want me to help them, i can be here. if not, then oh well...at least i tried to make a difference.
thanks

thank you! :) i hope you have a happy day today! x x x

yeah - i understand your skepticism. in fact, you are right, it will not be "cured" in the strict sense of the word, because you will still get a few "ed thoughts" from time to time, and even when you are doing well, the occasional relapse will occur. BUT i can honestly say that i started my therapy in october 07 binging everytime i ate anything. now, the last time i binged was 3 months ago - and that was a one off!
i think, for someone who has just come out of therapy, that's a very good success rate, so it must have worked.
it is not necessarily a cure, like u'll wake up and it's all gone in a puff, but it is something that you, your mind, and your body work on, every day.
and you'll get there if you really want.
for instance: i can buy a huge bar of chocolate, and eat just one square. i can then leave that chocolate bar (in sight!) and not touch it again until i fancy it in a non-bingey way. it feels so good to have that control. ok, yes, i still have the desire to either throw it out or eat the whole lot, but i don't. i just go easy on myself, and have a little, but not too much.
since beginning to eat normally again, i have acutally lost weight, and am at the lower end of the healthy range for my BMI.
so, all in all, life is good! :)
don't u want that too?
x x x
:)