The aftermath of a binge can leave you feeling physically uncomfortable, mentally weary, and emotionally full of shame. Your inner critic might tell you that you’re weak or a failure. You might also feel a strong pull to work out excessively or restrict food to compensate.
These post-binge reactions are common—but they don’t need to be the norm. Instead, you might consider practicing compassion over judgment. While this may feel impossible right now, with patience and practice, it is possible to meet your inner critic with care.
If you’re ready to give yourself compassion after a binge, we have some strategies and ideas for you to get started with.
First, Some Reassurance After a Binge
Please know that you’re not alone. Binge eating is the most prevalent eating disorder in the U.S., and about 35 percent of folks who deal with this issue will relapse at some point in their recovery, according to new research from the Psychological Medicine Journal.
In other words, it’s not failure or weakness to succumb to an urge of a binge. It’s both normal and understandable.
Shame might be the most prevalent emotion you feel after a binge. The challenge with this is that shame conflates behavior with self-worth, often leading you to believe that you are defective rather than a person who is struggling and turned toward food to comfort or soothe yourself. The more entrenched this narrative becomes, the more distress you’ll experience and the stronger that impulse to binge becomes.
To break this vicious cycle of binge-related shame, you need to intentionally choose self-compassion. While this might not come naturally, it’s a practice you can cultivate with the following strategies.
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5 Compassionate Ways to Respond After a Binge
Whereas self-criticism exacerbates a sense of inferiority, self-compassion has been found to calm the nervous system and soothe intense post-binge emotions like shame, guilt, and loss of control. Shifting these emotions can help you move forward with a balanced, constructive mindset, rather than a critical one.
Here are a few compassionate practices to tap into your self-compassion and love yourself through the distress or anxiety of a binge.
1. Speak to yourself as you would to a loved one
Imagine that a close friend or family member is dealing with the same experience that you are right now. How would you interact with this person? Chances are, you wouldn’t hesitate to offer them unconditional empathy and encouragement. You would affirm their intrinsic value and reassure them that setbacks are part of being human.
Redirect that same kindness to yourself. Not sure how to do that? These body-neutral affirmations are an excellent starting point. We also love the format of a Self-Compassion Break, from Dr. Kristin Neff, where she offers three simple steps to cultivate self-compassion in a hard moment.
2. Be present in the current moment—don’t focus on the binge
It’s easy to dwell on a binge and overthink each choice that led to that outcome. But the reality is, there’s nothing you can do to reverse it. Instead of ruminating on the behavior, focus on what comes next.
Observe your thoughts and emotions and then ask yourself: “What actions can I take to care for myself right now, in this moment?” This mindful, non-judgmental awareness will help ground you in the present and encourage body appreciation.
3. Use movement to move through the emotions
When you feel an emotion in your mind, you also feel it in your body. For example, anxiety can feel like tightness in the chest or disgust can feel like nausea in the stomach. As you sit with the various emotions of a binge, notice the physical sensations associated with them, too.
In addition to noticing the emotions, use gentle movement to release them. This can help you unlock stored tension associated with those emotions. It can also soothe the nervous system, shifting the body out of the fight-or-flight state.
Ultimately, movement practices like gentle yoga, body scanning, or dance rebuild the mind-body connection over time. This allows you to feel emotions fully and release them physically the next time a binge happens—or any difficult moment arises.
4. Free yourself from the urge to overcompensate
You might be tempted to punish yourself after a binge by exercising excessively or restricting your next meal. But this self-inflicted punishment only intensifies the shame. Research shows that compensatory behaviors make you feel even more out of control, which ultimately can lead to another binge.
5. Connect with your treatment team or mental health provider
If you’re already getting support for your eating disorder or disordered eating habits, now is also a good time to reach out for support. Speaking with your team or therapist can help you recognize what caused the behavior to begin with, so you can learn and grow from this experience without blaming yourself.
Now is a good time to find support if you’re not already working with someone. Book a free consultation call with us if you live in California. At Kindful Body, our team of licensed clinicians will match you with the right therapeutic resources and interventions to help you make peace with food in a way that feels balanced, nourishing, and sustainable. Call us for a free 15-minute consultation, and take that next step toward recovery.
If you’re not in California, there are many other ways to find support:
- Ask a friend or family member
- Find a provider through your insurance
- Look through directories like PsychologyToday Directory or Good Therapy.
Are You Ready to Take the Next Step to Recover from Binge Eating?
Healing your relationship with food and your body is a nonlinear process. Binges, relapses, and other setbacks are part of the journey. Please remember to be compassionate with yourself when you’d rather be critical. Using the strategies mentioned in this blog post can help you build this skill with time, patience, and practice.
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