DR MARIANNE MILLER
CARING EATING DISORDER TREATMENT IN SAN DIEGO AND THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, TEXAS, AND WASHINGTON D.C. FOR ADULTS & TEENS
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.
Learn About Eating Disorders and Chronic Pain with Dr. Kelly Kessler
It’s excruciating, both physically and mentally, to have both chronic pain and an eating disorder. I know—I’ve experienced both. I’ve also treated many people in San Diego with both eating disorders and chronic pain. I was so excited to meet Dr. Kelly Kessler, physical therapist and eating disorder and chronic pain coach. Not only do we have similar experiences and interests, we really get the complexities of having issues with pain, food, eating, and body image. Kelly has such a unique and effective approach to treating these complexities, and I’m so excited for you to get to know her!
What to Do When You're Sick During Eating Disorder Recovery
I’ve recently recovered from a nasty bought of the stomach flu, and it got me thinking about how illness can affect eating disorder recovery. You’re on your recovery journey in San Diego and elsewhere, and things are progressing nicely, when WHAM!! You get the flu, get a cold, or even learn that you have a a serious condition that needs more intense medical care, like surgery. It can be incredibly overwhelming, and it can definitely affect how you eat and how you see your body.
I’ve outlined three tips on how to navigate the rough waters of illness while in eating disorder treatment in San Diego and around the world. These three tips expand beyond the typical steps, such as seeing your medical doctor and take over the counter remedies. The reason is because eating disorders are incredibly complex—physiologically, nutritionally, and psychologically. Tackling all three areas when you are feeling crappy can be a challenge—so these strategies are quick, simple, and can help you get back on the road to recovery ASAP.