The Curse of Binge Eating

Binge Eating

Compulsive overeating is considered to be an extreme form of emotional eating. Its scientific definition is a pattern of disordered eating that consists of individual rapidly consuming excessive amounts of food through a series of uncontrolled eating episodes. It is deemed to fall along the continuum of emotional eating in the sense that eating binges are generally a side effect or after effect of an individual’s experiencing some form of emotionally stressful event, whether it is due to the social stigma related to being overweight, bereavement, trauma, or depression.

Binge eating is extremely unhealthy due to the fact that it overtaxes the body and can cause excessive obesity. It can also be harmful due to the fact that most binges are followed immediately thereafter by compensatory behavior, or guilty reactions, whereby a person tries to compensate for their overeating in an equally unhealthy manner. Forms of compensation include fasting, induced vomiting, laxative abuse, or excessive periods of exercise, all of which can be extremely harmful, both psychologically as well as physiologically.

Although anyone can experience an episode of overeating – and who among us has not at one point or another during the holidays – there are those who have developed an eating disorder as a direct result of frequent binge eating. A binge eating disorder is a psychological condition during which the sufferer has absolutely no control over the consumption of their food, and generally eats excessively large amounts of food at any given time, far more than the average person would consume in the same time period. In addition, those suffering from a binge eating disorder tend to consume their food at such a rapid pace that it can cause them to feel as if they are on the verge of vomiting due to the massive quantities ingested, to which the body is unable to acclimate. Binge eaters often report eating as a means of overcoming loneliness, depression, or even boredom. Individuals suffering from the disorder will frequently eat even when they are not hungry, and will often hide the disorder from their friends and family by eating alone, late at night, in their car, and may even hide food from family members. Those suffering from the disorder almost always experience feelings of self hatred, depression, and guilt following a binge session, yet they continue to repeat the pattern nonetheless.

Causes and Problems

There is no definitive cause for a binge eating disorder, although it is estimated that roughly half of the individuals suffering from the disorder have been depressed at some point or another in their past. However, whether or not depression is a causative factor for the disorder is not known. It is also unclear whether binge dieting is tied to binge eating in some way, although some research has shown that roughly half of the individuals who experience the disorder have also experienced other eating disorders or had a long history of dieting.

The most common side effect of a binge eating disorder is the risks associated with being overweight and obese. While it is true that those of average weight may suffer from a binge disorder, it is more common in those who are clinically overweight to a small or large degree. Roughly 2% of all adults in America have the disorder, and it is twice as likely to occur among women as men. However, binge eating can also cause a wide array of complications due to the fact that it is an improper method of eating; therefore the body cannot obtain and absorb the nutritional value from the food being consumed. Binge episodes usually involve some form of “passion” or “comfort” food that provides some sense of solace, and in most cases these are foods that are exceptionally high in sugar or salt, such as doughnuts, potato chips, French fries, candy bars, and other highly refined, processed foods. Individuals with the disorder are at a higher risk for disease such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. Unfortunately due to the shame accompanying the disorder, sufferers are quite reluctant to confide in their physicians or seek therapeutic intervention.

Another side effect of a binge eating disorder is that the individual will often try to compensate for their overeating by fasting, binge dieting, or excessive exercise. Fasting and binge dieting can lead to the same issues as overeating in the first place because the body is not able to obtain the nutrients it requires for optimal health; while excessive exercise can lead to severe injuries as a result of overtaxing the body.

How Do You Combat It?

Since binge eating is defined as a psychological disorder, almost every aspect of the problem is emotionally based. The first step in correcting the problem is to contact a trained medical professional such as a physician, nutritionist, psychiatrist, psychologist, or a clinical social worker. In many ways, a binge eating disorder is similar to alcoholism, and similar to the treatment for the latter disease, there is a 12-step Overeaters Anonymous program that an individual can join to obtain the help required to overcome this addictive and dangerous disorder in the comfort of others who have similar stories to relate.

Although most mental health professionals are aware of the signs associated with binge eating disorders, it is rare for a physician to question an individual directly due concerns regarding the psychological status of the individual, not to mention the fear of embarrassing the patient. And while binging is defined as a psychological disorder, it is not a recognized psychiatric disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; therefore the afflicted individual cannot obtain insurance coverage for treatment in most cases. There are a variety of ways to combat the issue, but all begin with the individual sufferer. While antidepressants and behavioral therapy can assist with the compulsion, the best first step is the willingness to acknowledge and admit to the problem and seek medical or psychiatric or even alternative therapeutic techniques such as hypnosis or NLP to determine the most effective treatment modality for the given individual.