Body image is already a problem for young girls in America. They are bombarded with images of unrealistically perfect photo-shopped models starving themselves to death. Yay for Seventeen Magazine, who recently agreed to publish 1 spread a month of non-photo-shopped photos of "normal" girls. Entering puberty changes your body and your hormones, and at the same time you start to care what boys think of you. Awesome time, right? Raise your hand if you'd like to go back and relive tweendom.
Well, Narcoleptic here has been really struggling with her weight. We recently discovered she's been getting up and eating high-fat high carb snacks at night. This was initially a source of shame for her. I initially thought it was a choice and she was perhaps sneaking food because she was being limited during the day. Here I thought I was helping her, when in reality I was making her feel deprived so much that she was sneaking and lying to me about it. :(
We had a few heart to hearts and normally when this happens she makes the right choices. The night eating continued. She lied again about it. When confronted in a very gentle manner she cried and said she didn't want to disappoint me. OhMyGod, she's breaking my heart. So, after another heart to heart where I reassured her I just wanted to help her and that I understand, she felt better. I didn't though. I spent several hours researching last night trying to get some insight into how to handle this new development. On the one hand, her overall health is important and she's developing some bad eating habits. On the other hand, I don't want to push dieting on her. I've been trying to model good eating choices and emphasize health versus size. At the same time, getting on a scale and SEEING a difference or putting on pants and FEELING a difference can be very motivating. Another concern for me was any action I took to help her correct the behavior could cause problems with body image permanently. My mother has struggled with that her whole life, and I don't want to create that in my daughter. I have had a weight issue since my early twenties, but I am still pretty confident.
So, anyway, when all of these things are swirling in my head I read. I used to borrow books at the library or buy books at the bookstore, but now I read studies and forums online. :) Well, I found a lot of information. Turns out 30% of narcoleptics are obese. Studies done to determine the cause of the obesity can not find a link to medication nor caloric intake. It appears their endocrine system is affected. Hormones. Lovely. She's already struggling with the most hormonal time in your life.
Then, I found a name for what she's expereincing. Why is it that a label can make you feel not so alone and less freaky? NES: Nighttime Eating Disorder. Lightbulbs starting flashing around me. It is newly researched, but appears to be a type of compulsion similar to binge eating. It is hormonal. Different brain chemistry has been measured in connection with it, and, you guess it: commonly linked with Narcolepsy.
So, what to do? Still working on that. But knowing it's really not a choice, but more of a compulsion gives me direction to work with. I myself was diagnosed with depression and OCD, so I'm familiar with obsessions and compulsions and the high you feel when you eat to ease depression. I can teach her to use the same techniques I use when I am stressed and feel compulsions. It will be tricky though, because I'm asleep when she's suffering.
-Raising a Narcoleptic
Well, Narcoleptic here has been really struggling with her weight. We recently discovered she's been getting up and eating high-fat high carb snacks at night. This was initially a source of shame for her. I initially thought it was a choice and she was perhaps sneaking food because she was being limited during the day. Here I thought I was helping her, when in reality I was making her feel deprived so much that she was sneaking and lying to me about it. :(
We had a few heart to hearts and normally when this happens she makes the right choices. The night eating continued. She lied again about it. When confronted in a very gentle manner she cried and said she didn't want to disappoint me. OhMyGod, she's breaking my heart. So, after another heart to heart where I reassured her I just wanted to help her and that I understand, she felt better. I didn't though. I spent several hours researching last night trying to get some insight into how to handle this new development. On the one hand, her overall health is important and she's developing some bad eating habits. On the other hand, I don't want to push dieting on her. I've been trying to model good eating choices and emphasize health versus size. At the same time, getting on a scale and SEEING a difference or putting on pants and FEELING a difference can be very motivating. Another concern for me was any action I took to help her correct the behavior could cause problems with body image permanently. My mother has struggled with that her whole life, and I don't want to create that in my daughter. I have had a weight issue since my early twenties, but I am still pretty confident.
So, anyway, when all of these things are swirling in my head I read. I used to borrow books at the library or buy books at the bookstore, but now I read studies and forums online. :) Well, I found a lot of information. Turns out 30% of narcoleptics are obese. Studies done to determine the cause of the obesity can not find a link to medication nor caloric intake. It appears their endocrine system is affected. Hormones. Lovely. She's already struggling with the most hormonal time in your life.
"I am 30 years old and have suffered from Narcolepsy since I was about 11 or 12 years old. At the same time I started having symptoms of Narcolepsy(which I did not know about until 1997), I also started having the problem of waking up and eating in the middle of the night. I have tried everything to not eat, but I just get so hungry I can't sleep unless I eat. I have recently been researching The Noncturnal Eating Syndrome. Does anyone with Narcolepsy suffer from the same problem oris it just me, and if so what have you done to treat this problem. "
Then, I found a name for what she's expereincing. Why is it that a label can make you feel not so alone and less freaky? NES: Nighttime Eating Disorder. Lightbulbs starting flashing around me. It is newly researched, but appears to be a type of compulsion similar to binge eating. It is hormonal. Different brain chemistry has been measured in connection with it, and, you guess it: commonly linked with Narcolepsy.
"The majority of patients with narcolepsy experience a number of symptoms of eating disorders, with an irresistible craving for food and binge eating as the most prominent features. Eating disorder symptomatology interfered with daily activities. These findings justify more attention for eating disorders in the treatment of patients with narcolepsy."
So, what to do? Still working on that. But knowing it's really not a choice, but more of a compulsion gives me direction to work with. I myself was diagnosed with depression and OCD, so I'm familiar with obsessions and compulsions and the high you feel when you eat to ease depression. I can teach her to use the same techniques I use when I am stressed and feel compulsions. It will be tricky though, because I'm asleep when she's suffering.
-Raising a Narcoleptic
Just a thought... If she's conscious of the snacking at night, what's driving the choice? Could she start to make healthier choices on her own? Could there be one place in her bedroom or in the kitchen where she has her special 'midnight' snacks? Obviously she's not going to make a salad but what about brown rice cakes with almond or peanut butter. Apple slices and almond or peanut butter. If she has a sweet tooth at night, I really like Enjoy Life chocolate bars. She could also do some yummy greek yogurt with sliced strawberries or blue berries. My girl likes to make all natural fruit roll ups in the oven. I can send you the recipes for that.
ReplyDeleteAnother thought I just had is to prepare the midnight snack before you go to bed! Do you think that would work?
Maybe????
ReplyDeleteWe were thinking.....
ReplyDeleteMaybe the time when I start eating i can go into my mom's bed for a couple minutes and then go back to sleep in my bed or I could have a glass of water next to my bed at night.
I know this response is late, but we are also struggling with this phenomenon with our 7 yr old narcoleptic child. She gets up at night and eats, nearly every night. She says she's "starving" at night. Kind of makes sense in a way, since she takes Concerta during the daytime and has a much lower appetite during the day, but by bedtime and through the night, the Concerta is out of her system, allowing her body to get super hungry again... But, what to do about it is another question. We too, try to focus on healthy eating and healthy food choices. It's tough and I don't want to affect her body image or confidence in a negative way either.
ReplyDelete