After you've eaten you feel fat. You don't like feeling fat, but it has its advantages. First of all, it's a familiar old problem. Second, the problem of fat appears to be easily solved. As long as you regard your problem as one of fat, you can continue to believe that it can be dieted away, or controlled, to some extent for that matter.
Popular wisdom has it that people who are hooked on food are set on destroying themselves.
We believe quite the opposite, that each time compulsive eaters reach for food they are feeling uncomfortable, whether or not they know it, and are attempting to help themselves. It has certainly been and it remains my experience as a survivor that in times of great pain, loss, flashbacks and the virtually endless miriad of sexual abuse issues in my life that I do compulsively eat to in attempting to comfort or soothe myself. This is a long-established pattern in my life. Many, many survivors indeed have compulsive eating issues, and the all too often weight problems that result. There is a tremendous amount of pain in this cycle.