Binge Eating Disorder - when eating becomes an addiction

This article provides an overview of binge eating disorder.

Here you will find the answers to all your questions about this eating disorder. Are you worried you may be suffering from it? Below you will find a test which you can use to check whether your eating behaviour is disturbed.

Binge Eating Disorder has only officially been recognised as an eating disorder since 2015 and many people still don’t know much about it. Those affected suffer from repeated episodes of overeating attacks. During these episodes, unusually large amounts of food are consumed.

Binge eaters do not compensate for their overeating attacks, as is the case with bulimia nervosa (another eating disorder). Bulimics resort to extreme measures, after their binges, to prevent weight gain, such as vomiting, excessive exercise or the abuse of laxatives.

Since no measures are used to counteract the binges in binge-eating disorder, sufferers are often (but not always) overweight. For this reason it is often debated whether binge eating is a subtype of obesity or rather of bulimia nervosa. The ways in which binge eating varies from these two eating disorders, is outlined below.

Binge eating is more common than anorexia or bulimia in both men and women. About 20 to 30 out of every 1,000 women will suffer from binge eating during their lifetime. For men, the statistic lies lower at about 8 to 20 in 1,000.

However, binge eating starts comparatively late in men and women. The eating disorder usually occurs in early adulthood at around 24 years old with a second peak of the disease being common at around 45-54 years of age.

Binge eating disorder is characterized by repeated episodes of overeating attacks. During these eating attacks, extremely large amounts of food are consumed in a relatively short period of time. Note, this is not the same as a classic cheat day.

Binge eaters have the feeling of losing control. The overeating attacks occur at least once a week for at least three months. Unlike bulimia, however, the eating attacks are not compensated for afterwards.

Self-test: Do you think you may have binge eating disorder? See if at least three more of the following symptoms apply to you. If so, you may be suffering from binge eating and should talk to a doctor. Below we outline the process for overcoming binge eating.

During the binge episodes, the affected persons eat much faster than in normal circumstances. They gulp down the food, so that an enormous amount of food is taken in over a very short period of time.

We have all over indulged at some point and then struggled with the consequences of a stomach ache or nausea. With binge eating this is exactly the case but on a regular basis and to an extreme degree. The eating attacks are often only stopped when the degree of fullness begins to feel very uncomfortable.

Do you to turn to chocolate to cheer you up when you have a bad day? The binge eating attacks are often caused by emotions and cannot necessarily be controlled by those affected.

Do you sometimes feel you need a snack in between meals? We have put together some healthy snack alternatives for you so that your snacking does not get out of control.

Binge eaters are often ashamed of the amount of food they eat. For this reason, they usually eat alone to try to keep their addiction a secret from others. Having a stomach ache, not being hungry or having already eaten are just some of the excuses used by sufferers to avoid eating with others.

Binge eating has a huge impact on the psychological wellbeing of sufferers. They often suffer from negative self-esteem, depression and feelings of guilt.

There is no one single reason why binge eating arises. In general, several different factors play a role, which can also influence each other. Possible causes are:

When we good food shopping, we often allow ourselves to be guided by our desires/tempting offers and buy things that we did not actually want. Here we have some tips for you on how to control your impulses on your next shopping trip.

The course of the eating addiction varies greatly from person to person. The overeating attacks can occur in phases and then disappear again for several months. Often, a strict diet is followed inbetween the binge periods. The overeating attacks are often described as a state of intoxication. They can last for several hours. Afterwards, people sometimes do not remember when they started and stopped eating.

Have you tried several diets but just can’t seem to lose weight? You can find out how to reach your desired weight without a diet here.

Binge eating has some similarities to obesity and bulimia nervosa. These include, for example, strong weight fluctuations and repeated attempts to diet. However, Binge Eating is not a subtype of these disorders. Find out here in which ways the eating addictions differ from each other.

You would like to lose weight, but you lack motivation? These tips will change your attitude forever!

• The underlying causes of Binge Eating go very deep and the disorder often occurs in combination with anxiety and or depression. These can also be exasberated by the eating addiction.
• People with binge eating suffer very much from their overeating attacks and are ashamed of their eating behaviours. As a result, they often withdraw from company and eat alone. This causes binge eaters to neglect their social contacts and interests.
• The disorder can also cause financial difficulties due to the amount of food being bought.
• Weight gain and obesity are obvious side effects. An increased body weight can in turn lead to further physical diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders or joint problems.

Unlike occasionally over-indulging, binge eating is a mental illness. To cure the eating addiction, the triggers for the binge episodes must first be identified. Only then can methods be put in place to avoid them. During this phase of the treatment, the affected persons are taught healthy eating behaviours. The treatment usually takes place on an outpatient basis, in a familiar environment. This enables the sufferer to apply their newly acquired techniques directly into their everyday life. In-patient therapy may be necessary if other mental illnesses are present as well or if the binge eating disorder is extremely pronounced. After successful treatment, it is very important to receive adequate follow-up care due to the likelihood of relapses occuring.

A binge-eating disorder is usually treated with the help of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The concept of CBT is based on the fact that the disturbed eating behaviour has been learned and can therefore be retrained. Binge eaters should keep a diary of their feelings and eating habits. This can help to uncover the triggers of their binge episodes, such as stress.

The key elements of binge-eating therapy are:

• Providing information and education about the illness.
• Educating about healthy nutrition and diet
• Changing eating habits
• Integrating physical exercise into everyday life
• Improving self-esteem
• Developing and teaching strategies for relapse prevention

Binge Eating is a serious disease that should be treated together with a doctor or psychotherapist. The eating disorder can have physical, psychological, social and financial consequences. The earlier the eating disorder is treated, the greater the chance of recovery. In most cases, outpatient therapy is sufficient.