Binge Eating Disorder: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

In simple words, binge eating disorder (BED) is a condition when people eat even if they are not hungry and at a fast pace until they feel comfortable. This is a medical condition, and those going through this phase need to recognise this disorder. Researches show this disorder can trigger cancer, heart ailments, stroke, diabetes and other types of chronic disorders.

So keep reading to learn more about this disorder in greater detail.

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What Is Binge Eating Disorder?

Binge eating, also known as compulsive overeating, is one of the eating disorders. People with this condition cannot control their way of eating and intake quantity. If someone binges on eating once a week for at least three months, they probably have this disorder.

Emotional stress is one of the factors that can trigger BED. This has been observed; people with BED feel relief after eating a lot of food in a short span. However, this is soon overshadowed by extreme shame and loss of control.

What Are the Types of Eating Disorders?

Apart from BED, there are 11 other types of eating disorders. Here is a list of all of them:

Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa
Muscle Dysmorphia
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders
Compulsive Overeating (COE)
Prader Willi Syndrome
Diabulimia
Orthorexia Nervosa
Selective Eating Disorder
Drunkorexia
Pregorexia

What Are the Symptoms of a Binge Eating Disorder?

Although the causes and symptoms of binge eating disorder vary from one person to another, its characteristics remain the same.

Frequent Episodes of Binge Eating: This happens because people with this disorder have no control over their eating patterns.
Identifiable Eating Habits: Continuing to eat even after one is full, eating too quickly or eating when not hungry at all are certain habits people with this disorder have.
Feeling Guilty and Shameful After Eating: Having insecurity about their eating habits and feeling guilty and ashamed of the same is another common characteristic of BED.
Secretive Behaviour Around Food: Since people with this disorder do not like to be seen around food by others, thus, they often eat alone.

What Are the Causes of Binge Eating Disorder?

The root cause behind this disorder is not known yet. However, it can start as early as childhood; even inheriting this disorder is also possible. Sometimes depression and deep-rooted anxiety can be the causes of binge eating disorder.

Furthermore, this disorder can get triggered by anger, sadness, or boredom. Those who have impulsive behaviour are more vulnerable to this condition.

What Are the Risk Factors of Binge Eating Disorder?

BED can lead to causing several physical and psychological health risks. Here is a list highlighting the potential risk factors of binge eating disorder.

Obesity: Most people with BED have obesity because of extreme calorie consumption.
Heart Ailment: Since obesity is the immediate outcome of this disorder, it can increase cholesterol levels. Therefore, it eventually causes heart ailments.
Asthma: When one is binge eating, they are not consuming the necessary nutrients; also, inadequate oxygen is transmitted. This causes some to experience shortness of breath. Moreover, if they already have a chronic illness like asthma, it can get worse.
Disturbed Sleep: Lack of nutrient-rich food can also cause people to have irregular sleep cycles.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Poor nutrition is one of the major signs of causing irritable bowel syndrome. This condition can either be temporary or last for months.
Risk of Infertility: Women who binge eat face health issues like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Furthermore, they are sometimes at risk of fertility or experience other pregnancy complications in this condition.

Other possible complications of binge eating disorder are:

High blood pressure
Certain cancer
Depression and other mood disorders
Diabetes
Gallbladder disease

How to Diagnose Binge Eating Disorder?

Eating a lot does not always indicate a binge eating disorder. Hence to find out whether you have BED, you need to consult a specialist.

The diagnosis of binge eating disorder depends on the severity of the condition. A doctor specialising in this kind of disorder may recommend a psychological evaluation. After that, they can prescribe some tests to analyse the consequences of BED on your body.

Only after analysing these parameters would they prescribe any medication or provide a treatment option.

What Is the Treatment Procedure for Binge Eating Disorder?

The treatment for binge eating disorder can vary as the symptoms and causes are unique in most cases. The purpose of therapists is to try modifying your thoughts and feelings towards eating habits.

Different kinds of psychotherapies, like interpersonal psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural psychotherapy, etc., have given successful results in treating this condition. Besides these therapies, your psychiatrist may also prescribe some medication to treat this disorder or resolve specific symptoms.

When to See a Doctor?

If anyone recognises they have urges towards eating large portions or any other symptoms are repeating. It is a sign to check with your doctor. Nevertheless, here are some warning signs you should keep track of and consult your physician at the earliest to detect them

Physical Symptoms

Fluctuations in weight
Feeling tired
Disturbance in sleeping
Bloating
Constipation or intolerance to certain food

Psychological Symptoms

Insecurity about physical appearances
Low self-esteem
Always preoccupied with thoughts of eating, body shape and weight
Experiencing distress, anxiety, and guilt during or after eating
Sensitive to comments related to food, weight, appearance, etc.
Depression
Self-harm or suicidal tendency

Behavioural Symptoms

Erratic behaviour like shoplifting food or spending too much on food
Avoiding questions related to eating and weight
Having withdrawal symptoms from activities which you used to like before
Hoarding food
Not wanting to eat with others

How to Manage and Prevent Binge Eating Disorder?

Since binge eating disorder is a psychological condition, it is necessary to treat your mind carefully. Therefore consulting a professional is the first step. After that, it is up to the therapist and individual circumstances that decide the treatment process. Nevertheless, whichever treatment is prescribed, you must change your lifestyle and prioritise your health and well-being.

Here are some tips for coping with the disorder:

Maintain a Journal: Make a habit of developing journaling; this will help you identify and control your impulses. You can also maintain a hunger scale in the journal. The hunger scale should range from 1 to 5, where 1 signifies lack of hunger and five is starving.Command yourself to respond to the urges when it is at least three and the urges are very strong.
Learn Mindfulness: Another effective trick is to channel your mind to something productive rather than surrendering to eating. As you practise mindfulness, it can help improve awareness. In addition, it also helps increase self-control, preventing you from bingeing over food.
Talk to Have a Support: Binge eating is a psychological disorder. Hence the best way to address the problem is to talk to someone. It can be a friend, your partner, family or a professional therapist. There are many binge eating support groups as well that can help overcome your sense of insecurity regarding your appearance and weight.
Choose Healthy Food Options: None of the foods is forbidden; you just need the plan to know when and how much to eat. Therefore, get in touch with a certified dietician and plan a healthy diet. You must add all kinds of food to your daily diet to get every essential nutrient. By doing so, you can satisfy your hunger and also stop unnecessary cravings.
Workout Regularly: Exercising does not just help you lose weight but improves your metabolism and boosts your mood. In addition, if you work out daily, you will notice changes in your appearance and mindset. The best way to maintain consistency is to choose an activity you like. You can also ask a friend to join and motivate you to keep going.
Get Adequate Sleep: Getting adequate sleep is one of the essential parameters. Lack of sleep or disturbed sleep can provoke your mind to consume higher calorie intake. Healthcare providers suggest sleeping for at least 7 to 8 hours daily.
Recognise Hunger Cues: In order to stop binging on food, you must identify your hunger cues. Once you master them, it becomes easier to address hunger when needed. Common signs of hunger are stomach growling, crankiness, light-headedness, lower blood sugar, etc.
Clear Out All “Binge” Foods: It is difficult to avoid the temptation if you have your favourite binge foods all around the house. What you can do is clear out all the junk or processed food. However, you do not have to start it all together. Instead, take small steps like limiting your portion. It may feel difficult in the beginning, so you can ask your family to hide them from you.
Identify Triggers and Avoid Them: Another trick to overcome binge eating is to first recognise your triggers and then avoid them. For example, stress may trigger you towards binge eating. Recognising and identifying stress as a trigger is the first step. Controlling and restricting your binge-eating habits when stressed is how you manage your trigger. Avoiding stressful scenarios and their association with binge eating is also a potent soution.
Practise Mindful Eating Habits: When you engage your mind only on eating, you are aware of your intake capacity. On the contrary, if you eat while watching television, reading or working, there are chances of overeating. You should be mindful of what you are consuming. In this way, you can maintain your regular diet more productively.
Drink Adequate Water: If you binge eat, you are most likely to consume sodium or sugar, both of which dehydrate your body. Therefore staying hydrated is necessary. In addition, most of the time, you confuse thirst with hunger, and this results in binge eating junk foods.
Avoid Sitting Idle: Those who sit idle develop binge eating habits as they have nothing else to do. In such cases, therapists suggest getting involved with any activities. If you keep yourself busy, you will have less temptation to binge eat. You may also list activities like fun DIYs or taking up a new hobby to utilise your spare time.
Do Not Overthink About Your Weight: It is not necessary to weigh yourself every other day. This can pose extra stress on yourself, and you end up stress eating. Therefore, you weigh yourself once a week. Another trick is to get rid of your weighing scale. Then, measure yourself when you are with a healthcare provider so that they can assess your progress. So the key takeaways from this article are that binge eating disorder is a common eating disorder which requires medical attention at the right time. If you overlook this condition, hoping it is just a phase, it can spike other health problems. Hence, as soon as you notice BED symptoms, consult a specialist.

FAQs About Binge Eating Disorder

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Which are the common medications doctors suggest to reduce binge eating symptoms?

Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate (Vyvanse), Topiramate (Topamax), and Antidepressants are effective medications that help control impulsive binge eating.

What happens to the body when one binge eats?

Binging on food overloads one’s digestive system, producing less energy, sleepiness, etc. People with this condition eat faster, resulting in acid reflux, heartburn, cramps and even diarrhoea.

Is Binging considered an OCD?

No. It is not formally considered as an OCD. However, the treatment method for OCDs, such as CBT, works well to treat binge eating.