The Binge Eating Disorder Food Police: You're Under Arrest
You've probably had a visit from the food police no matter what your eating habits are, but when you have binge eating disorder you can get a special visit from the binge eating disorder food police. Anyone who tries to control or regulate your eating is doing a disservice to themselves and to you. However, there's not a lot you can do to prevent the binge eating disorder food police from appearing.
Who Are the Binge Eating Disorder Food Police?
Unlike concern trolls and those with unhelpful binge eating disorder tips, the binge eating disorder food police don't want to help you. They want to control you. They want you to do exactly what they think is best for you even though they don't know your dietary needs or your health concerns.
There's a tinge of maliciousness to the binge eating disorder food police as they use not only manipulation but often shame and guilt trips to get you to do what they want. These people act as if it's their moral authority, nay, their very duty to keep you from eating the way you do. If you try to argue with them, they will remind you that you have an eating disorder and, clearly, you don't know how to take care of yourself.
My Experience With the Binge Eating Disorder Food Police
When it comes to the binge eating disorder food police, I'm very lucky. I have one in my own family. Whenever I eat around my sister, particularly when I was a larger size, she would always be there to tell me about what I was eating, how I should eat it, and how to eliminate calories from my meal, all without me asking. If I put dressing on my salad, I get treated to a rundown of just how unhealthy that is and how I can improve my health by eating exactly how she thinks I should.
How to Cope with the Binge Eating Disorder Food Police
The binge eating disorder food police are unlike any of the other people that I've talked about previously. This is because their goal is controlling your behavior and eating habits. It's bad enough when the regular food police appear to annoy whoever is under arrest, but when you have an eating disorder, this tactic becomes particularly insidious. You have a mental illness that needs to be treated by professionals such as binge eating disorder therapists and psychiatrists. No one that reads an article in a health magazine is qualified to give you advice, nor should they ever feel as though they are.
The best way to deal with the binge eating disorder food police is to politely and calmly tell them that you are an adult, under the care of medical professionals for a serious mental illness related to your eating and that their concern is not needed or appreciated. Be aware that sometimes the binge eating disorder food police will not listen to you and if you want to maintain a relationship with them, you will need to limit your contact with them around food. It's sad, but often times the need for control and a sense of power is too much for someone to resist welding over a friend or family member that struggles with their eating.
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APA Reference
LaBranche, S.
(2015, May 21). The Binge Eating Disorder Food Police: You're Under Arrest, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, October 14 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/bingeeatingrecovery/2015/05/under-arrest-the-binge-eating-disorder-food-police
Author: Star LaBranche
The information you are giving people is literally harmful to them. Quit with your delusions and talk about obesity for what it is, an epidemic that causes more health problems than smoking.
Thank you for your comment, Nick! Obesity definitely is a health problem that needs to be addressed. And I'm sure you agree it should be dealt with by doctors and medical professionals who are able and qualified to deal with this medical problem. As I pointed out in my article, friends, family members, and those that have no background in medicine or dealing with a serious mental health problem, such as binge eating disorder, should not be trying to manipulate or control someone dealing with an issue they know nothing about. Additionally, not everyone with binge eating disorder is obese. I have the disease and I am an average size. You can read my article about this exact issue for more information: http://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/bingeeatingrecovery/2015/03/12/what-does-binge-eating-d…