Ever had an experience with someone who eats so much to the point where they get uncomfortably full, and you wonder why they just can't help but eat that much? How surprised would you be if I told you it was a serious mental health condition? because most times, these people are not in control of what they are doing.
This disorder is called, Binge eating disorder, which could be spontaneous or planned, sometimes you may even feel guilty or ashamed after engaging in binge eating. Men and women of any age could get a binge eating disorder, but it usually begins when people are in their 20s and older.
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Overeating occasionally may be normal, but when it becomes an everyday thing, it begins to control and interfere with one's emotional, mental, and physical well-being. It means consuming large quantities of food within a short period and having the feeling that you cannot just control it.
Other symptoms of binge disorder are;
- Eating secretly or alone.
- Eating without even being hungry.
- Feeling guilty, depressed, ashamed, and disgusted after engaging in binge eating.
- Eating without feeling hungry.
Several factors can influence one's eating behavior; psychology, learned habits, and biology. What triggers people to binge eat is usually different from each other. Normally, eating triggers pleasure hormones in the brain, which are serotonin and dopamine and they both possess addictive powers. Eating is another way to escape or numb uncomfortable feelings and even compensate for unmet needs.
There is no clear known cause of binge eating, but there is a greater possibility of developing the disorder, in the presence of a stressful or traumatic event, a family history of eating disorder, depression or misuse of drugs and alcohol, being excessively worried about being slim, anxiety, low self-esteem, obsessive personality or being a perfectionist.
Binge eating disorders can cause further health complications that are linked to obesity. Not everyone who has the disorder becomes obese, but the combination of both of them is harmful. The cycle of weight gain and binge eating could create physical and mental distress.
There are possible cases of obesity complications; kidney disease, gallstones, fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and osteoarthritis.
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Any case of untreated mental illness could lead to;
- A high level of depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia.
- Increased erratic behavior, like hoarding and stealing of food and its product.
- Increased antisocial behavior like avoidance, lying, and secrecy to cover the act of excessive eating.
- Distress, self-harm, and even self-loathing is a possibility.
To get diagnosed with binge eating, a person must have had at least one episode of binge eating per week for three months.
There is no quick fix to binge eating disorder, it requires a consistent, long-term treatment. Psychotherapy is the foundation of treatment plans and it has proved effective for so many people. The use of medications and nutritional plans comes next, giving room for interaction with psychiatrists, psychologists, and registered dieticians.
In the area of psychotherapy, there are many types, but the most studied and proven methods are;
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT): A focused, short-term individual therapy whose aim is to address current conflicts and stress factors that affect your life. Instead of consistently digging into childhood problems, the certified therapist would focus on problem-solving techniques to help relieve the most pressing pain points.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): An expert helps you observe your behavior as well as the thoughts and the feelings that are behind them, after this is done, the therapist would then work on the patient in a well-structured manner to find a more constructive way of responding to the feelings and thoughts.
Individual psychotherapy, dialectical behavior therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and group therapy are other options that can be used.
Certain self-help therapies can also help when it comes to handling binge eating, there is nothing as good as being intentional and getting ready to help yourself, these tips will help:
The practice of mindful eating.
Learning to recognize when you are hungry.
Eat at the time you are hungry.
Stop eating before you get satisfied.
Tackle the triggers that make you desire more food.
Have a journal of your improvement daily.
Pregnancy complications can also happen as a result of binge issues, a higher rate of hospitalization has been noticed in those who have these problems than those who do not.
For Further Studies.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17652-binge-eating-disorder
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/binge-eating-disorder#overcoming-bed
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/binge-eating-disorder#bottom-line
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/binge-eating/overview/
Hi, I am Tobi a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. If you want to hear me speak on relationships and general life issues, you can find my YouTube channel where you can watch any episode for free, please do not forget to subscribe, friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from here, Kindly do well to keep them coming.
