A timed device for dispensing food?

[Cutesie]

The following idea has been in my head for many years. I would like to eat out of a gumball machine. It sounds funny, no? I eat way too fast. I often try taking the food one piece at a time, but I just can't stop my grabby hands. (This is when I'm eating normally at a table. Bingeing in my room is a whole other topic.) Of course, I could learn to have patience, but there's also something that can be done without all of that hard work. (There are so many other behavioral things that have a higher priority for me now.)

At the beginning of the meal, I'll put my food into the dispenser. I like everything cut into small pieces, anyhow. Every few seconds, another piece will pop out. I know that this could work - at least sometimes. I'm not sure if and when I'd use it around other people. It would work for me (and for others, I'm sure) because it keeps me in control; I am setting it up and using my independence to moderate my behavior.

Has anyone heard of such a thing? They might have it for animals, I think. Do you know anyone who would find it to be helpful?

 

[Tired]

I'll just leave this here.

 

[Aspychata]

Maybe setting a timer for six to eight minutes, and stretch out your actual food bites by looking at the timer and seeing how many minutes you have left? Take smaller bites, chew with purpose, by identifying the flavors on your tongue, see if you can detect a smell from your food. Perhaps put a small glass of water with your plate, sip occasionally from. Stop to purposely understand that eating is crucial for you to stay alive and crucial to your well-being? Good luck.

 

[tree]

@Cutesie

You may want to read up on B. F. Skinner, operant conditioning,
intermittent rewards....etc. For fun...

Example:
Operant Conditioning In Psychology: B.F. Skinner Theory

 

[Tired]

I do not see difference between havign food on the plate or in the dispenser, it's you who chooses to eat it, and you can easily open dispenser and eat from there, but you choose not to and to wait instead. Not sure why can't you do the same, if food is on the plate and not in the dispenser. You are always in the control of the whole portion of food in both instances.

 

[Cutesie]

Maybe setting a timer for six to eight minutes, and stretch out your actual food bites by looking at the timer and seeing how many minutes you have left? Take smaller bites, chew with purpose, by identifying the flavors on your tongue, see if you can detect a smell from your food. Perhaps put a small glass of water with your plate, sip occasionally from. Stop to purposely understand that eating is crucial for you to stay alive and crucial to your well-being? Good luck.

The timer idea is a good one. I already do it sometimes - but without an actual timer. If I could figure out how to do it, making it into more of a game than a challenge of self-control would be very beneficial.

The ones about increasing thoughts into the sensory nature of foods make me shiver with disgust.

 

[Cutesie]

@Cutesie

You may want to read up on B. F. Skinner, operant conditioning,
intermittent rewards....etc. For fun...

Example:
Operant Conditioning In Psychology: B.F. Skinner Theory

I will read it when feeling up to it. Thanks.

 

[Cutesie]

you can easily open dispenser and eat from there

...but I won't. There are many aspects to my disordered eating - too many for me to really tackle. Most of my eating is done laying in bed. It's junk food - cake, chips, etc. It's done mindlessly, and I won't stop until I'm totally sick.

I happen to know that this solution would work in this specific situation: I've prepared food. I'm sitting nicely at the table. I'm ready to eat in a healthy way. At this time, the only thing really causing me to grab, gobble and finish in two minutes is habit.

It's not even all about portion control. If I did this and still ate too much but did it slowly, I would be calmer, the food would have time to settle in, I wouldn't have so much post-eating physical distress, and I would likely still eat a bit less.

Please don't suggest seeking professional supports. I'm very well aware of my need for them. I know also that this habit that I speak of can be tempered.

 

[Rocco]

I occasionally eat too fast when really hungry. I have found eating small amounts more frequently to be of use to me. I like to do “tapas day” where I make small amounts of several different food items and graze through the day or over a few hours. As in several different appetizers, or small portions of meals. This technique also helps me to not over eat when I get the munchies.

 

[Judge]

Please don't suggest seeking professional supports. I'm very well aware of my need for them. I know also that this habit that I speak of can be tempered.

Geez, I didn't realize this was about human portion control. My bad! IMO such a device for human use is unhelpful relative to challenging one's willpower. Apart from being able (if possible) to avoid such foods, it's also understandable to come up with healthier alternatives in the event your willpower cannot handle complete avoidance. That's what I consider "tempering" the situation.

It's no secret that junk food has any number of substances designed to make you come back for more. Which can likely parallel any number of aspects of substance abuse. Which I try very hard to avoid in general when my willpower is flowing rather than ebbing.

Which not surprising seems coordinated most times relative to when my clinical depression ebbs and flows as well. Just as I know better than to make "big decisions" when my depression flows, I also try not to eat junk food for any kind of falsely-perceived relief.

IMO it's often a matter of managing one's depression every bit as managing their food intake.

Though in the case of junk food in particular, avoidance is always the best measure over a long period of time...knowing that most of us inevitably "backslide" at times. When all you can do is to "get back on the wagon" and avoid such foods again...as long as you can. While haven't been formally diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level One, I was formally diagnosed with Chronic Clinical Depression, Social Anxiety and OCD. All prominent comorbid conditions of autism.

 

[jsilver256]

Isn't that basically what frozen / portioned meals are? You don't need people kibble...

 

[Tired]

Okay google can i freeze chips and wine gums

 

[Judge]

Isn't that basically what frozen / portioned meals are? You don't need people kibble...

Separate portions of foods with addictive properties probably won't make a difference as long as someone has plenty of them in their freezer to eat.

Incentive to keep only a single carton of ice cream in the fridge at any given time. (For that reason I don't buy ice cream any more, but simply go for sugar-free popsicles.)

Then again some frozen foods have them while others may not, depending on how "processed" or not they are.

The 18 Most Addictive Foods

 

[Cutesie]

Isn't that basically what frozen / portioned meals are? You don't need people kibble...

I'm not talking about how much I'm preparing. It's when the portion is in front of me.

As far as it being cut into little pieces (bite-sized, not chopped): For sensory reasons, I like it that way.

 

[Boogs]

I just did a quick search on Amazon, and think I may have found something suitable ...

 

[Cutesie]

I'm going to say something, and I ask that anyone who chooses to read it pays attention to everything:

The device that I described sounds like a wacky idea. Once we discussed it, it may seem like a crutch to avoid working on my problems. That may be true, but I want you to know what's really going on, aside from the fact that it would help me in a utilitarian way.

I have a lot of fantasies. I try to wish away my problems, knowing that such a thing is impossible. One of those fantasies is to be intellectually disabled, such as someone with severe autism. I'm talking about the kind that everyone knows it, and that it's expected would need help with much of its needs.

Before you jump to comment, I'll do some of it for you. I don't actually want to be that way. I know that such a life can be torturous. Being fiercely independent, I know that I would hate having someone shower me, tell me when to sleep, and all the excetras we can think of. I know that I would endure teasing, being looked down upon, pitying looks - and that I would understand at least some of it. I know that I would often feel lost, afraid, confused, etc.

It's living this adult life of responsibility that still makes me dream. It's not feeling that I can live that life, and having failed pretty miserably at it so far. It's feeling terrified and ashamed to ask people for some help. It's also a twisted way of wishing that things had been different. That I hadn't been emotionally (and somewhat physically) neglected at a time when others were supposed to care for me.

What does this have to do with a feeding device? It would be a way to give up - even through an illusion - one responsibility that I "should" be doing for myself. Something that is similar to a parent giving food to its small child. One who makes sure not to give too much at a time, because the child lacks the impulse control that comes with maturity.

I hope that you can appreciate how putting this out there is, for a couple of reasons, not very easy.

 

[Boogs]

I hope my prev. post wasn't taken as demeaning in any way.
That's a big shift in my understanding of what your OP was about. It originally came across to me as somewhat wistful and a little light hearted, but it seems there was a lot more behind it than met the eye? (or am I just being my unperceptive self as usual?).

I can understand a desire to give up on a seemingly endless struggle. And the wish for someone or something to take it away must be a common theme among all sorts of people, seeing as how so many stories have grown around that idea of a fairy godmother or equivalent. I wonder if the desire, even though tempered with the reality of the situation, is a way of having a tiny 'holiday' from that stress and anxiety? Even if only for a short period.

 

[jsilver256]

It's also a twisted way of wishing that things had been different. That I hadn't been emotionally (and somewhat physically) neglected at a time when others were supposed to care for me.

Didn't you hint at having a brother that is more autistic than you? Does that have something to do with that, perhaps? Are you seeing a therapist?

 

[WhitewaterWoman]

I understand, Cutesie. I have a similar problem with food. I also worked with many level 1 and 2 autists who have even greater problems with food.

I’ve also done some studying of Skinnerian behavior and behavior modification in general. [let me say here I am not talking about the abusive tactics performed on 2s and 3s]

I think your idea is great. If I could find someone who could build one I would. There are products that provide medications on a timed schedule used for people with dementia or general forgetfulness. Here’s one from Amazon.

Timed and Locked Pill Dispenser

I see this as a training tool for responsible adults looking to change their own behavior. We do it all the time with diets and no one gives you duff about that.

 

[Cutesie]

I hope my prev. post wasn't taken as demeaning in any way.

It was a little bit. It was taking what was a serious question (even before the last explanation) and making it into a joke. I can joke about its absurdity, too, and it would have been fine if you'd just made a tiny note explaining that you're laughing with, not at, me.

That's a big shift in my understanding of what your OP was about. It originally came across to me as somewhat wistful and a little light hearted, but it seems there was a lot more behind it than met the eye? (or am I just being my unperceptive self as usual?)

The original post was written with complete seriousness but without me even thinking about my disability fantasy. That they are connected is not new to me, but all I was thinking about was the practical benefits that this device - which doesn't seem like such a hard concept - could give me. As I said, I've thought about it for years, and it's usually in this context. It was only later that my mind opened up and "remembered" the special reason for its appeal to me.

I wonder if the desire, even though tempered with the reality of the situation, is a way of having a tiny 'holiday' from that stress and anxiety? Even if only for a short period.

Yup.