I am fighting overeating. I have not binged in over a year, but the slight add-ons, the tiny bit more is starting. I have a very stressful life, no time to de-stress or do what I need to do for me. I get up at 11pm just so I can run my 6-7 miles a day in peace.

My therapist says it’s a matter of priorities. But I think stuck in an obsessive pattern. I can see that I am engaging in self defeating behavior by filling every minute with tasks that really could wait. She thinks I have some form of OCD, I do know that having everything “just so” used to make me happy. Now, I can’t keep up.

I’m Any advice?

I hear what you are saying, but I have to respectfully disagree about the “no time to de-stress or do what I need to do for me.”

I agree, for the most part that this is usually about priorities and unrealistic expectations.

You can relax in 5 minutes with meditation or self-hypnosis. You can stretch or do a yoga pose in that same amount of time. If you put time limits on things (like my yoga practice must be an hour) then yes, it’s possible that you don’t have time. But again, then you must look at priorities. I’m not sure if you are training for a race, but 6-7 miles a day is a lot, and can be very hard on the body and the joints. Could you cut your run in half one day and use that time for some other self-care?

Being stuck in an obsessive pattern – while it sucks – is usually a safety mechanism. You stay there because it’s safe and you know how to survive it. Staying constantly busy probably keeps you from doing something or experiencing something you don’t want. So what is it you don’t want to experience?

Example: I’ve had clients who’s parents yelled at them whenever they just sat on the couch. They had to be engaged in learning or chores at all times. Another client stayed busy so she wouldn’t have time to truly examine her life and how happy (not) she was. Most recently, a client stayed busy simply as a way to keep from eating.

Your reasons may be different but there is a reason.