The Quiet Ones . . .

I had a thought last night about what some of the unsuspected and quiet triggers of a binge-eating-disorder episode might be. Triggers that aren't so easily identified and have unrecognized subliminal effects were of a particular concern to me in this process. It was then that I realized that these triggers could be something as innocent as a particular room in a house. I hadn't thought about this before, but after I took a tour through each and every room in my home, all the while recording my initial reactions to them, I thought it might be worth mentioning. So, let's explore this idea for a little bit. 

I think of empty-nesters. That immediately takes me to the mixed bag of emotions that come along with seeing your youngest, or only, child off to college and realizing that after all those days you prayed for peace and quiet in your refuge against the rest of the world, your prayerful request has finally been granted. So what happens next? You plop down on the couch or your favorite chair, and think about this for a moment. If your have a significant other and he/she happens to be in the same physical moment with you, you can be assured the same thoughts are running through their mind as well.

So, you get through that day, and a couple that follow, and then comes the first time you walk into your child's sanctuary. It's not easy. All kinds of emotions come to the surface as you start to close drawers and doors that may be left askew, return hangers and boxes to their rightful closet spaces, and gather dirty clothes from the hamper, etc. You know the process. And, in the middle of this, you make a conscious decision as to how you're going to handle the sadness that accompanies the successful achievement of the personal goals you set for your precious offspring. Many parents go through this each and every year; but, few talk about the real effect it has upon their psyche.  For night-eaters, over-eaters, and binge-eaters - until they identify this trigger, and gain control over it - just walking into this particular empty room can send them running for the refrigerator or an app for take-out on their cell phones. 

You can see how it goes. Your child's empty bedroom is just one example of a room in your home that can act as a trigger. Imagine the scenario if you're a widow or widower. Or on a happier note, visualize the scenario where your favorite chair sits just waiting for you to take advantage of the fact that you're alone in the house, and have full freedom to over-eat, binge-eat or night-eat as much as you like. No doubt it has some kind of accommodation for holding a tray, bag of whatever, or several items that, you believe, will relieve your stress, anxiety or sadness as you eat your way through them. 

So the upshot of this post is a simple reminder that only you can identify those quiet and unsuspected triggers. And, only you can make the conscience decision not to let them do so.  

Think about that. 

Copyright © 1/1/2015, CB, BED Warrior