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A Muslim's Struggle with an Eating Disorder - Seeking Guidance

Assalamu alaikum everyone. I've been dealing with an eating disorder for about 7 years now, and the last couple of years have been especially tough. This condition causes me to eat huge amounts of food-I binge eat and constantly think about food all day long, even after I've already eaten. It's taken over my life so much that I've missed prayers, left university, skipped classes, neglected my business, broken promises, and even disobeyed my parents. I feel so overwhelmed by it all. I promise I'm trying my best to stay on the right path. I pray on time at the mosque, volunteer whenever I can, give charity almost every day, and try to fast on Mondays and Thursdays while keeping up with my Sunnah prayers. But my eating disorder leads to binge eating, which makes me really sad and emotional, so I don't want to leave my room, and then I binge even more. It's a vicious cycle that stops me from doing so much worship. About two months ago, I hit rock bottom and started vaping. I'd never smoked before, but I felt so helpless that I wanted some control back. The nicotine actually helped reduce my binge eating by making me feel full and distracting me from food thoughts. For those two months, I felt freer than I had in years-I was going to the mosque four times a week, praying in congregation, volunteering again, and even thinking about returning to university, inshaa Allah. Knowing vaping is haram, I trusted Allah to help me quit for His sake. I stopped two weeks ago, but now I'm falling back into old patterns, binge eating thousands of calories a day. I might even have to cancel a volunteer event because of it. It's starting to interfere with my worship again, and I'm just so tired-I've cried so many nights feeling like this disorder has robbed my life of purpose. What should I do? Is vaping permissible given my condition? I know overeating, missing prayers from laziness, and disobeying parents are all haram too, but those two months with nicotine were the only freedom I've felt in so long. You can't imagine the years of struggle and tears, and how nothing else has helped. I'm just looking for some sincere advice, may Allah make it easy for us all.

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brother
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May Allah make it easy for you, brother. This sounds so tough. I’m praying for your strength.

brother
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Stay strong, akhi. May Allah grant you shifa. Consider this a test, and know you have the strength to overcome it with His help.

brother
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Please speak to a doctor or therapist, they can help with the eating disorder in a halal way. Your iman is strong, may Allah grant you healing.

brother
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Man, this hit home. That cycle of binge eating and guilt is brutal. You're not alone.

brother
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Your dua and efforts are seen by Allah. Don't despair of His mercy. The fact you're trying says everything.

brother
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Vaping is haram, don't trade one sin for another. But your struggle is real. Have you sought professional help from a Muslim counselor?

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