People with a binge eating disorder often ingest larger than usual amounts of food, and the frequently feel as though they can't overcome their urge to eat. This kind of eating disorder can begin during early adulthood or late adolescence, usually after following a major diet. During binging, you tend to eat even when you aren't hungry, and you might continue to eat even when you are full. Unlike with cases of bulimia, there are no attempts to simply make up for the binging through fasting, over-exercising, or vomiting. You might find that binge eating gives you some kind of comfort to begin with, easing unpleasant feelings of stress or anxiety, but the problems can quickly settle back in, and binge eating will continue to damage your health. Here, we're going to cover everything you need to know about binge eating disorders.
Binge Eating Disorder Signs and Symptoms:
If you have a disorder that's related to binge eating, you might feel ashamed and embarrassed about your eating habits. For people who are scared that their loved one might have this disorder, figuring out everything you need to know about binge eating disorders is very important, as these people might try to hide their symptoms by eating in secret. Behavioral symptoms that indicate binge eating can include:
– Eating even when full
– Hiding food for binging purposes
– Inability to control what you're eating
In addition, emotional symptoms of binge eating might include:
– Feeling tension or stress relieved by eating
– Never feeling satisfied regardless of what you eat
– Feeling guilty or disgusted by over eating
Causes and Effects of Binge Eating:
Besides understanding the symptoms of binge eating, if you want to know everything you need to know about binge eating disorders, then you also need to understand the causes and effects. Generally, it takes a combination of emotions, genes, and experience to develop an eating disorder. For instance, social pressures to be thin might add to your discomfort and make you binge eat in an attempt to comfort yourself in some way. Binge eating is also strongly linked with depression. A lot of people who binge eat have either been depressed in the past, or they are depressed when they start to suffer from their eating disorder. Low-self-esteem and loneliness can also have a part to play.
In certain cases, biological factors might contribute to binge eating. For instance, the part of the brain that controls the appetite can be impaired, and researchers have also found genetic mutations that can lead to food addiction. Unfortunately, binge eating leads to a host of emotional, physical, and social problems. You're more likely to experience stress, health issues, insomnia, suicidal thoughts, and other concerns than someone who doesn't have an eating disorder, and you might also encounter issues with substance abuse and depression.
Fortunately, it's important to remember that as difficult as it can be to overcome periods of binge eating and issues associated with this condition, it is possible to recover from the problem and reverse many of the dangerous and unhealthy effects. You can simply start by changing your relationship with eating and dieting.