Binge eating is one spoke of the eating disorder umbrella. For those who have heard of it, but are unsure of what it is, it’s more than just overeating.
If left untreated, binge eating disorder, or BED, can threaten one’s life. Let’s look at BED and what it can do to you.
What is BED?
We all have overeaten at times. Sometimes, to the point of feeling uncomfortable. From eating too much at the buffet to Thanksgiving dinner, one may think that qualifies as binge eating.
It does not. With a big meal on occasion, you usually control yourself, and while you may feel a little guilty eating too much, it’s no big deal.
Someone with BED has episodes where they eat as much food as possible and as fast as possible. They tend to eat the food quickly, not taking time to enjoy it.
When a person with BED is finished with their episode, there may be a feeling of immense guilt.
Someone with BED may try to purge the food. This purging is known as bulimia. Purging is usually done through throwing up or through laxatives. However, bulimia is for another article, as it’s a separate beast altogether.
Diagnosing BED
With BED, there are several factors that are considered when making a diagnosis.
Most importantly, BED is diagnosed if someone has had frequent episodes of binge eating. To make up an episode, a person usually has the following:
• They binge a large amount of food in a small time window.
• When they eat, there is little control. They may eat more than usual.
• A person eats until they feel uncomfortably full.
• The person will eat even if they’re not hungry.
• A person may feel disgusted or embarrassed by their diet. They may feel intense guilt, but might not be able to stop.
• It occurs at least once a week, and happens for over three months.
What Causes it?
The causes of BED are not known, but there are several factors that may increase your risk. These include:
• Your family history. You are more likely to have BED if someone you’re related to has had an eating disorder.
• Dieting history. If you have had a failed past of dieting, this may be one reason why you develop BED.
• Self-esteem issues. Someone with BED may feel stressed and have a poor self-image.
• Having access to foods that you like to binge on. For example, quick snack foods.
How Do I Know if Someone Else Has it?
Binge eating disorder can be hard to detect in a friend or loved one. Some binge eaters manage to hide their disorder quite well, and it can be a challenge to know if someone has it. However, there are several clues that can tell you if someone has it.
These include:
• The person doesn’t feel comfortable eating in front of other people.
• When you’re around this person, your food seems to disappear quickly. Sometimes, you may find empty wrappers and other indicators that someone is wrong.
• Speaking of disappearing food, you may end up finding food in an odd location when you are visiting them.
• Someone with BED may be known to diet a lot. They are always on top of the latest fad diet.
• A person with BED seems to have low self-esteem. The person may look in the mirror constantly or seem obsessed with bodily flaws.
• The person may have odd rituals. These rituals are usually designed to accompany their eating sessions. Sometimes, it can seem like something a little odd, like not wanting foods to touch.
• Their normal eating seems different. When it comes to meals outside of their binge eating, the person may eat little to no food at all.
• The person’s weight may fluctuate for no reason. It may go up, then down.
• They may seem down all the time, or have other feelings of guilt.
• The person may have some physical issues. They may have constipation, acid reflux, cramps, trouble concentrating, or other issues that seem to come out of nowhere.
It’s No Joke
BED is not an issue to take lightly.
BED can lead to obesity due to how much food you are eating. It may lead to diabetes, heart disease, or other side effects associated with long-term weight gain.
BED may put someone into an early grave if left untreated. However, it is treatable.
Treating BED
Treatment tends to involve therapy. Someone with BED may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help them break the chain between thoughts that lead to them binge eating.
Learning to identify triggers is also one way to treat BED. Some people may have certain triggers that can lead to them having an episode.
Also, being put on a healthy, reasonable diet is another way to treat BED.
In some cases, medicine may be used to reduce appetite.
Usually, BED is treated through a combination of both therapy and medication.
Diagnoses is Important
If you suspect you may have BED, it’s crucial you seek help immediately. But first, you need to make sure you have BED. One way to do so is through Mind Diagnostics. For more information on diagnosing yourself with BED, click the link below.
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