What is compulsive eating?
Binge eating involves uncontrolled eating or binge eating episodes that feel frantic or out of control. Eating happens even past the point of feeling uncomfortable and full. Unlike people with bulimia, compulsive overeaters do not attempt to compensate for their overeating with vomiting, laxatives, fasting, or purging. However, there may be intervals of repetitive diets. While binge eating can eventually result in weight gain, body weight can range from normal to severely obese.
What causes binge eating?
Although the exact cause of compulsive overeating is not known, there are several likely options. Binge eating is behavior used to fill a void, cope with stress, suppress uncomfortable emotions, deal with problems, or create a state of numbness to difficult situations or feelings. Triggers can be anxiety, depression, stress, boredom or loneliness, diet, and low self-esteem. Binge eating is behavior driven by a desire to handle hidden problems rather than feelings of hunger. The activity of eating provides temporary relief, but is often followed by more distress in the form of guilt, shame, or disgust. A perpetual cycle of eating to relieve anxiety, then feeling bad about overeating, often leads to a vicious cycle of binge eating and depression.
Why is it so hard to stop?
When you binge overeat, you can try all diets or plans to stop. At first, you may experience some weight loss success. But, in the long run, diets or tightly controlled eating don’t address or fix the main reasons why you overeat. Also, with hunger and restriction eventually comes a binge response. This episode of overeating brings feelings of failure and even more depression. Compulsive overeating is a coping behavior that can be overcome by learning and incorporating other behaviors that are at least as effective as eating.
Symptoms of compulsive overeating
This is not a complete list of signs and symptoms. A person must also not have all of the symptoms on the list to have compulsive eating behaviors.
* Eating normally in front of others and compulsively overeating alone.
* Binge eating or uncontrolled eating
* Eating late at night or while others are sleeping.
* Hide a private stash of junk food.
* Unhappy with body weight.
* Always thinking about food.
* Eat to feel better.
* Not enjoying the food you eat.
* Feeling out of control and unable to stop eating during binge eating.
* Continue eating even after feeling full.
* Getting anxious when eating.
* A history of diet failure.
* Depression.
* You feel guilty and ashamed of binge eating.
* Worry while eating.
* Eat frankly, barely chewing food.
* Hide food.
* Eating in secret.
* Binge eating after a diet.
* Hunger creates a feeling of vulnerability and restlessness.
If you recognize yourself as a compulsive eater, take heart! There is hope and there is healing. Author Thomas Moore wrote: “When the soul is neglected, it not only disappears, but appears symptomatically in obsessions, addictions, violence, and loss of meaning. I believe that people with addictive eating behaviors are unique, creative, caring and sensitive Individuals who are seeking a deeper connection to their true inner spirit Recovery occurs when you develop a sense of your own spirit, self, and body…and when you develop a belief that your emotions are valid, important, and worth noting…
No Comment