How My Chronic Pain and Binge Eating Disorder Recovery Stories Overlap

Hey everyone. I’m going to be really transparent right now, because I am in pain today. I have suffered from chronic back pain for 21 years. I injured myself from overexercising less than one month after I graduated with my PhD. It’s been rough. The reason I’m sharing my thoughts and feelings with you is because I want to let you know that I get it. I understand what it’s like to have a chronic condition that you have to learn to manage. I know how you can binge eat to give you just a little relief from your pain—a little escape to help you cope with the unrelenting assault of pain. It can feel similar to chronic illness in that sometimes you can’t know when a flare-up will take place, and food can be there to comfort you, even slightly.

Restricting food can also serve as a distraction. It can give you a semblance of control when it feels like everything is out of control and your body is actually your enemy. Whether you live in San Diego, California like me, or whether you reside in Texas, New York, Florida, Washington D.C.. Even if you’re overseas in London, Manchester, and Birmingham, England, or are in Perth, Australia or Toronto, Ontario, Canada—the combination of eating disorders and chronic pain and chronic illness makes a hard life.

Wherever you are in the far reaches of this planet, I want you to know that I see you. I hear your suffering. In many ways, I AM you. I’m here to share that binge eating recovery is possible, even if you have chronic pain and chronic illness in your life.