We need to talk about Chewing and Spitting
The behaviour that's not's talked about enough
I write and podcast about the psychology of eating disorders. I have personally recovered from bulimia and have worked as a therapist for 20 years. I hope to inspire, educate and improve understanding about eating disorders through my writing and audio. Names used are fictional and stories shared are a combined insight of many client experiences. I believe that full recovery is possible for everyone.
Listen to the audio here: -
Chewing and Spitting (C and S) is a shameful secret sadly suffered by many people with eating disorders.
It’s a potentially triggering and tricky topic to write about, but it’s a subject that needs a conversation and raised awareness.
It’s often overlooked in regular eating disorder assessments, as not recognised as an official disorder under mental health classifications.
You can struggle with C and S, if you have anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, OSFED or disordered eating.
It might be something you experience occasionally, in addition to other behaviours such as purging or over-exercise.
It may be something that you struggle with multiple times per day.
What is Chewing and Spitting?
As the name suggests, you chew your food, then spit it out.
You wish to enjoy the taste of the food without the calorie cost.
Your ‘forbidden foods’ are normally the preferred choice, as the behaviour is often rooted in restrictive eating patterns.
This dietary restraint might include: - delaying eating, not eating enough or eliminating certain food groups.
Outside of C and S behaviours, you are probably feeling hungry and deprived.
Initially, when Chewing and Spitting, it may feel that you’ve found the answer to eating and weight control.
Surely, it’s a way to eat all the delicious, prohibited foods whilst not impacting your waist line?
This is far from the truth of the matter. It can wrack destruction on your physical and mental wellbeing.
What are the costs?
The impact on digestion
Digestive complaints are often rampant when C and S exists.
When you chew food, your stomach produces acid in anticipation of digestion.
The food doesn’t arrive in the stomach or only does in part.
This can lead to painful stomach cramps and bloating.
It can lead to ulcers and acid reflux.
Irritable Bowel Symptoms can become your ‘normal’.
The impact on your teeth
Chewing and spitting often involves chewing on huge quantities of highly palatable foods that you would normally deny yourself.
These foods tend to be high in sugar.
As an eating disorder therapist, I firmly believe that there are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods.
However, chewing on colossal quantities of sugary foods, sometimes multiple times per day will wreak havoc with your teeth.
This can lead to dental caries and gum disease.
Weight gain
C and S does not appear to be a magic ‘weight loss’ tool.
Some food is swallowed and absorbed, despite best efforts to the contrary.
Research also suggests that you may overeat later in the day following a C and S episode, as your body is out of sync with hunger and fullness cues.
Your body becomes confused and hungry.
Addictive feel
Chewing tasty food can deliver an opioid hit to the brain, bringing an amplified feeling of reward.
It feels addictive and compelling.
Quickly though, it can become a destructive habit that feels challenging to stop.
It’s infiltrating into precious moments throughout your day.
Isolation and shame
If you’re not convinced by the injurious physical impacts of C and S on the body, the emotional impact is profound.
It’s very challenging to talk openly about this behaviour.
You may experience intense embarrassment, shame and loneliness in dealing with it.
It taints your daily life as a secret and isolating obsession.
How to stop Chewing and Spitting
Here are some thoughts to help.
1. Motivation
To improve motivation for change, it is vital to engage emotionally with the costs of this behaviour.
Be honest with yourself about the impact that C and S has on your life.
This is not to chastise yourself, as you absolutely need compassion, but for you to develop a different relationship with the behaviour.
Also understand the ‘benefits’ of continuing. Maybe you are using C and S to escape, soothe or relieve boredom.
Maybe, you are using it as a weight management tool.
When you are clear of the perceived ‘benefits’, you can consider new and healthy alternatives to coping.
Restriction
If you find yourself engaging in C and S behaviours, you will likely be restricting your eating (by not eating enough, eliminating food groups or delaying eating).
You might be depriving yourself of the foods that you genuinely enjoy.
You need to work on allowing yourself to eat enough food and to gently introduce your old forbidden foods, in a non-C and S sitting.
This might involve eating with a friend or at a café. You may need to plan a distraction activity afterwards, when anxiety is running high.
Mindfulness
C and S can be experienced as a numbing frenzy, where food is not tasted or savoured.
Sitting down at table, eating slowly and allowing yourself to appreciate and engage with non-C and S eating experiences can be valuable.
Emotions
Unexpressed feelings will be bubbling under C and S, although you may not realise this.
It can be used (as with other compulsions) to release pressure and let off emotional steam.
Reconnecting with your emotions and practicing deeper self-awareness will help with this.
Other healthier coping strategies can then be put in place.
Perfectionism
Interestingly, my experience to date shows that people struggling with C and S, tend to lean towards clinical perfectionism.
The pressure to be perfect and achieve is compelling and it leaves a wide chasm between the self shown to the world and the authentic inner person.
C and S seems to be a relief vent against this relentless perfection and almost an unconscious outcry against the pressures associated with this.
Practicing self-compassion and reducing the inner critical voice can significantly help.
If you are struggling with C and S, you are not alone. You may wish to consider getting further support through counselling.
To find out more about my work:-
Go to my Website
ONLINE COURSES
Online 10 Steps to Intuitive Eating - a course to help you heal your relationship with food.
Online Breaking Free from Bulimia - a course to help you break free from bulimia nervosa.
Eating Disorders Training for Professionals - training for therapists in working with clients with eating disorders.
Body Image Training for Professionals - training for therapists in working with clients with body image issues.
Podcast
A great article highlighting something that needs more awareness! I would love you to come on my podcast Hello Therapy to talk about this! 😬😊