What's worse: drinking or binge eating/purging?

**Posts:** 1444 · by **stella_blues** » Tue Nov 29, 2011 3:46 am

I've recently "learned" a new trick to avoid binging and purging. Drinking alcohol. When I say I drink, I binge drink. (With me it's either all the way or nothing.) So I stand at the sink and pour and chug as much as I can. I've taken in as many as seven shots of vodka in a row. I'm 5'2" and average weight (122 lbs.) so this might be a dangerous amount. I've also added benzo's to the mix- which I know is dangerous. But in the moment I don't care. I want to be out, unconscious. I also have this urge to self harm- like I WANT the drinking to hurt me somehow. A couple weeks ago I woke up with a fat lip and a big abrasion on my cheek. Who knows how that happened- I guess I fell.

What I wonder is should I go with binge eating instead of binge drinking? The problem with binge eating is then I make myself throw it all up, which has it's own set of hazards. And I've been struggling with this food addiction for so many years.

The other problem may be that I don't have a choice. I haven't tried to consciously swap one for the other. It just seemed to happen all on it's own. It's that when I drink, I don't "need" to eat, as if I've already satiated some urge within myself. Since drinking, I've gone from purging daily- sometimes several times a day- to almost never.

I just can't decide if this a good trade off. ? I mean I *know* it's not good. Just that I can't figure out which is worse. I don't want to become an alcoholic. My mother was a terrible alcoholic, my brother is a recovered one, and my maternal grandfather was one. I'm already programmed for it.

One might suggest to simply substitute a more healthy behavior altogether. But lord knows I've tried. It's just not that easy. At all.

**Posts:** 14140 · by **jurplesman** » Tue Nov 29, 2011 5:01 am

I am so surprised that you have not caught up with the new science about eating disorders, alcoholism and binge-drinking. They are all inter-related and have the same underlying biochemical flaw, treatable by nutritional means. Please get a referral to a Nutritional Doctor.

**Posts:** 1444 · by **stella_blues** » Tue Nov 29, 2011 10:48 am

HI Jurriaan, I know I must be frustrating to deal with over and over for you. I'd love to see a nutrional doc but I simply can't afford it. I currently have the furnace set on 46 degrees bc I can't even afford propane to run it. (I dress in layers.) I don't drive anywhere unless I absolute have to bc I can't afford gasoline. Since I've lost income, I qualify for food assitance, but barely enough to get the essentials. I try to get fresh stuff- I honestly have no desire for processed foods. THe only reason I have alcohol is bc my previous partner stocked the pantry. Plus we made elderberry wine and honey mead when we kept honey bees (and were more ambitious.) I realize I must sound like an excuse a minute. There's no excuse for skipping health care and taking care of my body.

A lot of what I battle isn't food/alcohol cravings. It's self destructive cravings. It's pretty counter productive in terms of what I need to and should do. We should all of us eat healthy- but it's so hard to change the patterns.

If there was a way I could address these issues- and get the motivation to do so- I'd be interested to know. I don't want to go down this path. I just don't know how to avoid the temptations to self harm.

**Posts:** 9885 · by **Candid** » Tue Nov 29, 2011 12:25 pm

stella_blues, do you have any clues as to how this oral compulsiveness started? What is the sponsoring thought behind the desire for unconsciousness?

**Posts:** 14140 · by **jurplesman** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 1:10 am

Hi stell_blue,

I know exactly what you are talking about. Most of my clients were in a similar situation. It is so sad that doctors, who are usually available under medicare to anyone, are not trained in nutritional medicine. Al I can say is try to read as much about nutritional medicine as you can, and go on a hypoglycemic diet. This is simply avoiding sugary stuff and try to eat high protein from animal sources. If you cannot afford supplements have a look at Rich Sources of Nutrients.

Animal meats contain most of the necessary nutrients we need. Animals collect them for us. The cravings are usually due to sugar addiction. Sugar consumption can often relief short term depression, by allowing the body to produce serotonin. Have a look at "What is Hypoglycemia?" where it is explained. But this is short-lived and aggravates the craving and hypoglycemia. Read:

Sugar Craving

The best way to beat sugar cravings is using GLYCERINE. One tablespoon of glycerine in a glass of water with a dash of lemon juice to improve taste. But again I know that costs money. You should buy your glycerine in a health food store.

I hope it helps a bit. I wonder do you skype? We could skype if you want to.

**Posts:** 2880 · by **paulo111** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 1:49 pm

I'd say binge eating and binge drinking both take it out on the liver, depending on what you are binge eating on. I had liver and bilary system issues and either of both would shatter me. Glutamine is something that helps with sugar and booze cravings, they use it with alcoholics, and I tried it once and it works in terms of cravings. You can pick up the powder pretty cheap.

Do you know if you binge on food as you dont feel full?

There are a few so called "silent disorders" I have read about that are linked to eating disorders, but they seem to revovle around seretonin imbalance. A few I heard of were zinc deficienices, inflammatroy bowel disorders (affect appetite hormones), essential fat deficienices, yeast issues and the famous insulin resistance. One of the best ever things I did for my health was increase fibre in my diet, and for arguments sake I got sick when I went on an atkins type diet (due to weight training) which had much less fibre in my diet.

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/buli ... 000020.htm

It lists some supps there that may be worth a trial, budget depending, they can be picked up quite cheap and would do no harm for a couple of months (would be a fair trial) to see if they helped. If you want to PM me your email address I have a book that discusses both pschological and biochemcial issues around eating disorders. Its only 3 pages on this subject but very interesting and has some practical advice. I should post it up here due to copywright but I could scan a couple of pages and send them through I guess.

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