Binge Eating
This article will give you some facts on binging and related conditions along with what you can do.
Definition: Binge overeating is defined as consuming large amounts of food (much more than normal) in a short period of time. (So emotional eaters may binge eat out of anger, stress etc. However not every emotional eating episode is a binge. Emotional eaters may also graze throughout the day for example.) The person engaged in a food binge may feel out of control - unable to stop their eating. They usually eat alone. They often feel ashamed of their behavior and try to hide it afterwards. Binging can be a symptom of bulimia, binge eating disorder, compulsive eating or emotional eating. Binge overeating can also be a response to extreme dieting, fasting or food deprivation.
Bulimia Bulimia is an eating disorder defined as binging or consuming large amounts of food - more than normal. This is followed by compensatory behaviors like purging - induced vomiting, using laxatives or overexercising. Bulimia is a serious disorder and if you think you have this disorder you should see a therapist or medical professional as soon as possible.
Binge Eating Disorder Binge eating disorder (BED) is not the same as bulimia. The person with BED engages in binging behavior. But unlike bulimia, this is not followed by purging - induced vomiting, use of laxatives or overexercising. Because of the lack of purging, people with BED usually (but not always) are heavier than those with bulimia. (This also doesn't mean that every overweight person has BED either.) Like bulimia however, BED is still very serious and we recommend you see a medical professional if you think you have BED.
Compulsive Overeating Compulsive overeaters can often be described as having a food addiction. They do binge - eat more than normal amounts of food in a short period of time. However they may also graze throughout the day as well. Unlike bulimics, compulsive overeaters usually do not engage in compensatory behaviors like purging - induced vomiting, use of laxatives or overexercising. Compulsive eaters will often spend excessive amounts of time and thought devoted to food, and secretly plan or fantasize about eating alone.
Emotional Eating Binging can also be a type of emotional eating - eating to avoid feelings or in order to cope with difficult situations. Emotional eating may not be as serious as the above conditions. Most people eat out of their emotions sometimes. The problem comes when you start to eat as a way to cope with difficult emotions on a regular basis. Emotional eating is not a healthy coping skill, especially over the long run. It can lead to extra weight, health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. It can also be mentally taxing and frustrating. It can rob you of living life to the fullest. If you think you're an emotional eater you can try to find a qualified therapist, look for a support group or try an online program like Shrink Yourself.
Binging In Response To Fasting or Deprivation Diets If people are deprived of food, say when fasting, starving or on very strict diets, they may also binge out of physiological needs. The body sets up stress responses when it thinks it's starving that make us want to overeat. This is not something we need to fix emotionally - it's just our bodies trying to protect us. In order to avoid this, make sure you're eating in response to physiological hunger and giving your body enough food for it to function properly.
Conclusion: There are many reasons for binge eating. Regardless of the reasons it can be quite a serious issue - especially if engaged in on a regular basis. There are numerous health problems associated with binging including obesity, weight problems, nutritional deficiencies and psychological repercussions like depression and frustration. If you are think you may have a serious binge eating problem, you should speak to a medical professional immediately and get help.
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