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What is Binge Eating Disorder?
Binge eating disorder is one of the most common eating disorders that affects many people from the United States. Although it is not yet considered to be a distinct eating disorder it causes many health problems to all the people affected. It can often lead to obesity and other psychiatric symptoms. It is shown to have relations with genetics and this disorder may be passed on to further generations.
Binge Eating Symptoms
Like any health condition, binge eating disorder can be spotted according to some symptoms that can be found in anyone affected by this disorder. These symptoms include:
- Uncontrollable eating that occurs occasionally
- Eating large amounts of food at one meal
- Fast eating during this episode
- Eating until feeling nausea and uncomfortable
- Eating when feeling depressed or even bored
- Eating despite feeling hungry
- Eating when alone most of the times
- Feeling guilty or even depressed after meals
So if you spot any of these symptoms in you or any of your friends or family members then you should get specialized help immediately.
Binge Eating Disorder Picture
Causes of Binge Eating
Binge eating disorder can’t be related to certain specific causes. Many researches have been made in this domain and there have been found relations between binge eating and depression. It’s not sure if this is a symptom that causes this disorder of if the disorder causes depression but the act is that this state of mind is related to binge eating.
This condition has been spotted in people that are constantly exposed to the mundane world. They get low self esteem because they compare their bodies to other and they are often being judged about their looks. So they are predisposed to eating disorders like this one.
Binge Eating Treatment
There isn’t any exact treatment for binge eating disorder because this condition isn’t yet recognized to be a single standing health disorder. If you want to get help then you can try some cognitive therapy. This will help you control the amount of food that you have at each meal. Interpersonal therapy can also be helpful for some people because it can determine if the problem comes from relations with other people such as family or friends or even co-workers.
Antidepressants give good results if binge eating is related to depression episodes. A nutritionist’s advice can also be helpful because he can establish a healthy diet plan that will help you avoid all the complications related to obesity. A group support can also be helpful for some people because you can emphasize to other people’s stories and try to fix your own.
Binge Eating Statistics
The majority of people that have binge eating disorder are obese or overweight. But this disorder was also seen in people that don’t have problems with their weight. Researches conducted in the United States showed that about 2% of adults have binge eating disorder. Although the percentage is low, the numbers are big because 2% represents about 4 million people.
This condition is found in women more than men, twice as more to be exact. Researches conducted among obese people showed that 10-15% of these persons suffer from binge eating disorder. This condition is often spotted at people who are struggling to lose weight on their own.
How to Stop Binge Eating?
Overcoming binge eating is not as easy as it seems. The first step, like in most disorders of this type, is to admit that there is a problem. The next thing you need to do is to visit a physician and give details about your eating habits. Even though this is a slightly new disorder you must insist with the symptoms even if the physician doesn’t seem to admit that you have a real medical problem. Visiting a nutritionist is also very important because he can help you portion your meals according to the body needs.
The most important person that can help stop binge eating is a therapist. This disorder is usually associated with psychological trauma and therapy is the best way to find the root of the problems and solve them accordingly.
Other Types of Eating Disorders
Binge eating disorder is often associated with other eating disorders but you have to know how to make a difference between them. People that are diagnosed with bulimia nervosa can expect binge eating episodes but it is considered binge eating only if it occurs at least twice a week. Bulimia is usually spotted in people that don’t have big problems with their weight while binge eating can be seen in people that suffer from obesity.
Binge eating is also confused with compulsive eating disorder but they are different in many ways. People with binge eating don’t have the compulsive urge to increase the amount of food at every meal. Symptoms of compulsive overeating also include fantasizing about food but people with binge eating disorder often have a feeling of disgust and repulsion towards food. So it’s very important that you correctly spot binge eating disorder so you can get the help that you need.
