Your experience with emotional eating/support group suggestions?

[Jane-Doe 1]

Hi All!

I'm excited to say this is my first post. After a lifetime struggle of being overweight, I made the decision to have VSG. I'll be having surgery in Mexico this July.

I've been doing my research and am motivated to keep myself accountable throughout my VSG journey. I have very little support in my personal life and understand it's an important resource to have throughout the journey. I am very happy to come across this ultra supportive site and thank you all that have contributed to the plethora of information available here.

I was wondering if anyone could share advice/their story regarding their struggle with emotional eating and/or food addiction? How did you cope pre and post op? Any suggestions as to forums/support groups specifically dedicated for bariatric patients who struggle with emotional eating or food addiction?

Thank you all and I look forward to getting to know the bariatricpal family!

[summerset 5,261]

10 minutes ago, Jane-Doe said:

I was wondering if anyone could share advice/their story regarding their struggle with emotional eating and/or food addiction? How did you cope pre and post op?

It depends on what you're looking for.

Approaches of support groups vary big deal. Some feature the "food addiction/never again" approach, others feature the "intuitive eating/take the magic pull out of food" approach.

Quote

Any suggestions as to forums/support groups specifically dedicated for bariatric patients who struggle with emotional eating or food addiction?

Depending on group vibes and your personal preferences support groups can be very helpful or highly toxic. Be careful when choosing one and don't hesitate to leave if the people there pull you down instead of lifting you up.

[Jane-Doe 1]

4 minutes ago, summerset said:

It depends on what you're looking for.

Approaches of support groups vary big deal. Some feature the "food addiction/never again" approach, others feature the "intuitive eating/take the magic pull out of food" approach.

Depending on group vibes and your personal preferences support groups can be very helpful or highly toxic. Be careful when choosing one and don't hesitate to leave if the people there pull you down instead of lifting you up.

Thank you for the input, this is something I didn't think about initially and will definitely keep in mind

[WInston223322 160]

This is the only place i used for support and questions and found it to be 100 percent of what i needed! But it took a hard crash mentally at 3 months for me to find this place. I had to go to my doctors support group for the first 2 months and found it toxic place full of whiners and complainers. Some people were good but most were just there to vent

[Jane-Doe 1]

Thank you @WInston223322 for the input! Good to know of a possible mental break and having this group. You all have been super helpful

[Lily66 425]

Some of these support groups remind me of lyrics to Elton John’s “Sad Songs (Say So Much)”...

..”It feels so good to hurt so bad, and suffer just enough to sing the blues.”

[mgt3boys 24]

Hi,

I didn’t really have issues with emotional eating until I was about 2 yrs out from my surgery. Emotional eating has been a battle my entire life. It wasn’t until I started introducing sugar back into my diet that I knew I had issues. Sugar is my go to and always has been. I struggled with it for about 2 yrs after introducing it back into my diet. I had to figure out a way that I could have a little, but not completely fall off the band wagon. I knew I had to keep my mind busy cause for me it’s a total mind game. I started introducing new things into my life to keep my mind busy..exercising, hobbies, reading, volunteering. It has helped me a lot with keeping control of my cravings. As long as I’m busy I’m ok.

[Jane-Doe 1]

6 hours ago, mgt3boys said:

Hi,

I didn’t really have issues with emotional eating until I was about 2 yrs out from my surgery. Emotional eating has been a battle my entire life. It wasn’t until I started introducing sugar back into my diet that I knew I had issues. Sugar is my go to and always has been. I struggled with it for about 2 yrs after introducing it back into my diet. I had to figure out a way that I could have a little, but not completely fall off the band wagon. I knew I had to keep my mind busy cause for me it’s a total mind game. I started introducing new things into my life to keep my mind busy..exercising, hobbies, reading, volunteering. It has helped me a lot with keeping control of my cravings. As long as I’m busy I’m ok.

Thank you for this! I just started looking into the subject, but feel like emotional eating is a big part of why I am where I am (i noticed I eat A LOT more than I normally would when I am stressed). Finding a distraction is something I'm gonna dedicate myself to!

[RainbowBrite57 153]

Hi! I've only been here for a few months but I've gotten so much fantastic information. I'm a 100% emotional eater and I don't have a surgery date quite yet. I've been taking notes & one thing I've seen mentioned several times is "head hunger". I think that's going to be something I need to be as prepared for as possible given that I am an emotional eater.

I know this isn't a support group comment, but I think knowing about that is going to be really helpful for me & hopefully you. Good luck!!!