Binge eating like anorexia nervosa and bulimia is a type of eating disorder. When a person consumes large portions of food in extremely short periods of time he is said to be bingeing.
The problem of bingeing on food is referred to as binge eating disorder. People who indulge in binge eating are not able to control their food intake and often feel depressed or unhappy after eating excessive amounts of food.
Eating large amounts of food should not be mistaken for binge eating disorder. Some people are born with a huge appetite. However if people eat huge quantities of food and later feel unhappy about the fact that they have consumed such a large quantity of food, then they are said to be suffering from the binge eating disorder.
Initially when a person starts having this eating disorder they may be able to maintain normal body weight. However as time passes and they are unable to control their excessive eating habits it begins to take a toll on their health and they start to suffer from obesity. Along with uncontrolled eating habits people with binge eating disorder also suffer from anxiety problems, depression and other allied emotional problems.
Nearly four million Americans suffer from the eating disorder called binge eating. A common misconception is that overweight or obese individuals are the only ones who suffer from the binge eating problem. In fact many people of normal body weight also have this condition. Women are more likely to suffer from this eating disorder than men.
Women may binge eat to hide their anxieties, worries or depressions. Teenagers who are extremely obese may also be suffering from binge eating disorder. Binge eating disorder is not restricted to a particular race. People of any race who suffer from various psychological problems may seek comfort by eating excessive amounts of food. Research has revealed that younger people are more likely to suffer from this problem as compared to older individuals.
Extensive research has revealed that individuals with certain unique personality traits are more likely to suffer from binge eating than others. Attention seekers, people with low self esteem, control freaks, perfectionists, moody people, and those who suffer from different kinds of phobias may suffer from the problem of binge eating.
Children whose parents are very controlling and individuals who suffer from identity crisis; as also people who have the need to constantly please others have a higher incidence of suffering from this eating disorder. Researchers have yet to determine the causative factors behind binge eating disorder. Negative emotions like anger, sadness, depression and anxiety play an important role in creating this disorder. People who suffer from extreme loneliness also start binge eating. People vent their anger or hide their depression by eating far too much food.
Some people start binge eating after an extended period of dieting.? Here negative body image is causing people to binge eat. After dieting and becoming very thin some people become unhappy with their body shape and start eating excessively to put on weight and change their body shape. People who act in an impulsive manner may also suffer from binge eating problem. A part of the impulsive behavior extends to their eating habits as well. Once they start eating they are unable to stop themselves.
People who abuse alcohol or take drugs also exhibit unnatural eating habits. Alcoholics and drug addicts are mostly unaware of what they are doing and may end up eating far too much food because of their impaired levels of consciousness. A person who suffers from this disorder will exhibit many classic symptoms which are unique to this particular eating problem. One of the classic signs of a binge eater is eating food far too quickly. In fact it almost feels like the person is shoveling food into their mouth.
A person with this disorder will consume huge portions of food spread over a period of two hours and will repeat this process of eating vast quantities of food twice a week. A person suffering from binge eating disorder will continue eating despite feeling uncomfortably full. Binge eaters also eat during periods when they are not feeling hungry. Here food is not eaten to meet energy requirements of the body but in order to find relief from some anxiety or simply to get comfort.
When a person is binge eating, they will do it in the privacy of their homes or bedroom away from other people’s scrutiny. Binge eaters normally feel upset and depressed after a binge eating episode. They also experience a sense of complete lack of control.
Obesity is the least of the health problems that individuals with binge eating suffer from. Those who have this eating disorder may suffer from multiple health complications including high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, heart diseases, type2 diabetes, and gall bladder disease and may also have a higher chance of suffering from certain types of cancers.
A physical examination is the best way to understand whether a person is suffering from binge eating disorder or not. Other than a physical examination the doctor would request to see the patient’s medical history as well. Once the patient has been diagnosed with binge eating disorder, the doctor may refer the binge eater to a counselor who can give them proper advice and counsel them to give up eating excessive amounts of food.
A two pronged approach is normally adopted to treat the problem of binge eating. A combination of counseling and medication can help people overcome the problem of binge eating. There are basically four types of counseling which can people help with this particular eating disorder overcome their problem. These are cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, group counseling and family therapy.
The urge to binge eat is controlled by cognitive behavioral therapy. The connection between your relationships and binge eating episodes are examined through interpersonal therapy. A binge eater may be asked to go in for dialectical behavioral therapy to control their negative emotions. Group counseling helps a binge eater to connect with other people having a similar problem. Family therapy helps to control any undue pressure or interference on the part of the family members. Antidepressants are prescribed to control mood swings and manic depression episodes.
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