Strategies for overcoming emotional eating

This is a very thought provoking post. I wish you many hours, days, months and years of clarity.

A

By nature, I'm a pretty positive person. It seems like you are so hard on yourself....and that's just how it is..I get that. How do you typically react to other people's accomplishments? Do they inspire you? Are you spending enough time with others that appreciate you?

My negativity/pessimism is definitely almost entirely directed internally - im more than happy and able to celebrate with/for other people, just not myself. Maybe it's a personality thing, maybe it's just a product of a ****** up childhood, who knows. Baby steps though. 

My wish for you is to feel even just one tenth of the support and admiration for all the progress you have made and will continue to make. And for all the effort you put into zeroing in on your targets :)

It's amazing how much a good therapist can help with our cognitive thinking! Love the homework suggestion. I'm so glad you're starting to feel better.

Your homework makes complete sense to me.  You need to see the whole picture as you climb your way out of this.  That would include the positives which are absolutely there as well as the negatives toward which you have been gravitating.  Those on the outside could probably see the positives much more readily and in greater numbers than you can. 

I'm so proud of you that you made that decision to carry through on your assignment.  It's major, and you did it.

Re therapists, I've also had the experience of seeing one and getting absolutely nowhere, and then seeing a different one and making significant progress in a short period of time.  In my case it meant going from a highly respected psychiatrist to a "mere" social worker in a program which had started out as a substance abuse counseling service.  That social worker got through to me pronto and made me talk, no matter if I was laughing (not much), crying (a lot) or just way deep down in my own pit du jour.  She's gone from us now, God rest her soul, but part of her will be with me forever.

Anyway, keep it going, hon.  So much good can come from it if you give yourself permission to experience it.  :)

That was beautiful! Love this post!!!

Oh, my goodness -- this is EXACTLY what my therapist pointed out to me in my last session.  I am going to try your homework assignment.    If I make progress at something but do not do it PERFECTLY my internal cric goes into overdrive, beating me down for being worthless.   Loved your post.

Extremely moving post! Thank you for openly purging some of your deepest emotions for our benefit. This really had an impact on me as I have similar expectations of myself in addition to a mixture of self loathing and love. One extreme to the other, really. I love the idea from your therapist as it is something I tried before (but focused on being grateful and appreciative). I also have had difficulty finding a therapist I connect with. So much of what you said in your post and even what you didnt say struck a cord with me. Thank you from the heart.

Very proud of you for following through and for taking a mental health day; I will continue to keep you in my prayers; you are so very special