Using Emotional Memory for Binge Eating Urges

Reader’s Question

I am 29 years old and have been struggling with bulimia for as long as I can remember. A few years ago I went through a treatment program, and I have figured out some ways to manage the disorder so that I can lead a “normal” life.

My problem is that one of the ways I manage the urge to binge is by having no food in the house. This was fine while I was single, but I’m recently married and now I have a kitchen full of food. I have been married about 7 months and every day is a horrible internal battle to not binge. Sometimes I win this battle and sometimes I lose…I’m so tired of the cycle, do you have any suggestions for helping me to avoid raiding the cupboards when the urge to binge hits me?

Thank you so much for your help.

Our Clinical Psychologist’s Reply

One method you might consider is using Emotional Memory to address the problem. Anything traumatic or addictive or that is a habit or preference involves Emotional Memory — that is — certain things or situations in the environment trigger our memories (binge eating for example). The emotions associated with those memories quickly follow. In your situation, the presence of food as a stimulus triggers thoughts about your history of bulimia. Those memories then make you feel helpless and powerless — producing the struggle not to eat. People quitting cigarettes are triggered by someone else smoking. Combat vets are triggered by loud noises or certain smells.

Emotional Memory (see article on this website) can be helpful in countering those memories and their connected feelings. How romantic can you be if someone throws a large snake on your lap? Kills the romantic mood immediately. People in alcohol recovery, when they see a bar, purposefully don’t think of any “good times” when drinking. Rather, they purposefully remind themselves “Places like that caused me to lose my family and career”.

In using emotional memory, you create automatic thoughts for your eating urges. Either a thought with intense feeling (”That’s the kind of behavior that put me in the hospital”) or a thought that is very humorous such as “I don’t think I want to puke, hurl, or vomit this afternoon!” Injecting an opposite thought and mood often kills the mood-memory of a bulimia trigger — like the snake on the lap. Once you use your mood-killer, you get back to business in your home.

If we think about it, we use this same method all the time. If you’re at the mall and see something you want to buy, but can’t afford it, your brain says something to you like “Maybe I’ll wait until after the holidays” or “I’ll wait until it comes on sale” or (something humorous) “If I buy that we won’t have electricity for the next six months!” Talk to yourself when confronted by those food triggers. Talk…then keep going.

You’ll also find it helpful…and I know this sounds weird…to play your favorite music in the house. The reason that helps…our favorite tunes keep the brain busy pulling the emotional memories associated with those songs. Smaller triggers such as a box of cookies, are often ignored as the brain’s memory system is busy. There, told you that might sound weird.

You might also search the Internet for helpful hints on managing bulimia in the home. Hope this helps.