Welcome to the Brain Over Binge podcast, where you learn a simple, brain-based approach to ending binge eating.

I'm so glad you're here.

I'm Catherine Hansen.

I'm the author of Brain Over Binge and the Brain Over Binge Recovery Guide.

And before I get into the topic of this episode, I want to tell you about a free resource that

will give you some daily motivation as you recover and keep you focused on some of the main

concepts that I teach in this podcast.

The resource is my 31-day brainover binge inspiration booklet, which you can get through the

link in the show description.

And there you'll also find all of the other brain over binge resources as well. Today's topic in the spirit of releasing this on Valentine's Day in the

U.S. and other parts of the world will deal with relationships, a relationship with food,

ourselves, and others. If you're listening, you know that having a difficult relationship

with food affects nearly every other relationship

in your life, including your relationship with yourself, because it tends to erode self-trust,

self-confidence, and usually brings high levels of shame. Eating disorders are extremely isolating,

causing you to turn away from other people, even people you love the most, and who love you the most.

Because of the shame associated with your behaviors, you may find yourself lying to those

you love about your eating, or hiding food, or hiding the evidence of food, and also hiding

your purging or exercise behaviors from people in your life.

Your drive to binge and your obsessive food thoughts can drive you away from connection

and can distract you from being present with the most important people in your life.

The isolation of the eating disorder can make you not want to reach out to friends.

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