Unhelpful Binge Eating Disorder Tips from Strangers

Ever experienced unhelpful binge eating disorder tips from strangers? Although binge eating disorder doesn't have the same recognition as other eating disorders, I've found that people everywhere are willing to "help" you out with hints and tips that they just learned. Although this is similar to concern trolling, these hints and tips are slightly different. Whereas a concern troll is someone that cares about you and wants to help, these unhelpful binge eating disorder tips are from strangers that are disseminating questionable information in order to hear the sound of their own voices.

Where Do These Unhelpful Tips for Binge Eating Disorder Come From?

Society is completely saturated with dieting advice, exercise tips, and fads of every nature. Pick up any women's magazine or turn on the TV to the commercials. There are bound to be people spreading information and misinformation alike, without anyone being able to discern the difference between the two. In some ways, the "helpful" stranger is just so buried in information that they neither understand nor can testify to be helpful, that they don't know what to do. But having information, even though they realize they can't verify its origins or prove it to be true, is too much of a draw for some people to not talk about.

"I Once Lost Weight By . . ." And Other Sentences Someone With Binge Eating Disorder Doesn't Want to Hear

When I say that I write about eating disorders to a stranger, I sometimes feel like I can see the wheels in their brains turning. They think, "I know about weight loss. I read/hear/see something about it every day. I can help this person." And then they proceed to tell me whatever they once did to help them lose weight as if that means absolutely anything to me.

I don't want to hear about how you stopped eating gluten, cut out dairy, weighed your food or anything else you did that made you lose a few pounds that will eventually come back to you. I've been on insane diets, including starvation diets, before. None of it helped me. Just because something worked for you, doesn't mean that it will work for anyone else and, honestly, when did I even say that weight loss was my current goal?

How To Deal With Strangers' Unhelpful Binge Eating Disorder Tips

If you are faced with someone that just wants to share with you the wonders of a beef-less diet or the impact of doing 20 squats every morning, kindly remind them that you are under a doctor's care for your binge eating disorder. Assure them that you will discuss any changes or improvements to your diet or exercise plans with said doctor and follow their instructions so that you are the healthiest you can be. Don't allow anyone to insist that they know your health better than you do or demand that you immediately alter your behavior to fit their plan for what it should be. Binge eating disorder is a mental illness and not a sign of weakness. Don't let someone treat it like it is.

Find Star on Twitter, Google+, and on her personal blog.