What is Binge Eating Disorder?
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Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by recurring episodes where a person consumes an abnormally large amount of food. People with this eating disorder feel compelled to eat even if they are not hungry and may continue eating even if they feel uncomfortably full.
People with binge eating disorder suffer from feelings of disgust and shame during an episode of over-eating and especially afterwards as well. It is because of this shame that they will go to great lengths to conceal their eating disorder from others. This makes it difficult for family members and friends to notice that their loved one is in need of help with an eating disorder.
Just as with other eating disorders binge-eating can have severe long-term consequences if it is not treated. Obesity is one side-effect and is associated with a number of other physical health problems. Binge-eating can also lead to the development of other eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. People with a binge eating disorder are also at a higher risk of developing certain psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse problems.
Binge Eating Disorder : Recognizing the Symptoms
Just about everybody eats more than they should at some time in their life. It's almost expected in certain social situations (like Christmas dinner) to over-indulge. In order to be diagnosed with a binge-eating disorder the person must have an episode of over-eating at least twice a week for 6 months in a row. The following are regarded as symptoms that should accompany this behaviour:
- Feeling ashamed or disgusted about oneself during and after the binge episode
- Feeling "numb" or "spaced out" during the binge episodes
- Hiding the amount of food being consumed
- Eating when not hungry or when feeling full
- Eating at a much quicker pace than is normal
- Impaired control over the decision when to eat, or how much
Binge Eating Disorder : Causes and Treatment
Currently medical science has not isolated the reason for binge-eating disorder. There are a number of factors that are associated with its development: about half of the people with it have a history of depression, but this is not neccessarily the cause of the eating disorder. People with binge-eating disorder often also have problems with impulsivity and other psychological problems.
Because of their large food intake, people with binge-eating disorder are often obese. They often feel completely incapable of controlling their food intake after a series of failed efforts to diet. Whether dieting has any effect on binge-eating disorder is yet to be established.
At the moment research is centered on identifying how brain chemicals and metabolism interact with binge-eating disorder.
Treatment for binge-eating disorder should begin with a complete assessment by a medical doctor who will diagnose and treat any physical concerns that might have arisen as a result of the eating disorder. However, to fully address the binge-eating disorder a therapeutic intervention is usually applied at the same time as any physical problems are dealt with. Usually therapy is provided by people who are specialized in treating eating disorders as this is a specialist area of practice. Binge-Eating disorder therapy needs to be done in a safe and comfortable environment that will help the patient to open up and feel confident to start exploring their past history. A comprehensive treatment plan will address any emotional and psychological issues that underlie the eating disorder and help the patient to gain a more realistic view of themself. Attention will be given to developing coping skills to deal with everyday situations and to handle relationships better.
