Binge Eating – Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Binge Eating

Binge eating is an eating disorder characterized by regular, uncontrolled binge eating, during which people overeat at one time. These cravings are often accompanied by subsequent feelings of guilt and disgust. Psychotherapy and nutritional counseling form the backbone of treatment for binge eating.

Was ist Binge Eating?

Binge eating occurs when binge eating occurs at least twice a week for a period of at least six months. Unlike bulimia , binge eating does not result in the food being thrown up again. Eating fast is typical, which is not related to feelings of hunger and cannot be controlled by the person affected.

Feelings of shame and a high level of suffering are often the result of binge eating. In the long run, obesity and various physical and mental illnesses can be the result of this behavior. Both men and women are affected by binge eating.

causes

Binge eating may be due in part to mental illnesses , such as depression , that people are trying to escape from. In this case, it is a form of avoidance behavior. However, this is not the only possible cause: Boredom or stress can also trigger binge eating.People who are on a strict diet are also particularly at risk: Anyone who breaks the diet plan can sometimes develop excessive bingeing, which is based on the logic that it no longer matters. The lack of self-esteem that accompanies it can cause this behavior to recur and result in regular binge eating.

Those who have weight problems from an early age are considered to be more susceptible to this vicious circle. It is now assumed that genetic predisposition can also play a role in binge eating.

When to the doctor?

As a rule, binge eating should be treated by a doctor when the person concerned is no longer in control of himself and can no longer directly control his hunger. Therefore, a doctor must be consulted in any case if food cravings occur regularly and the person concerned has weight problems. This can be either overweight or underweight .

Immediate action is necessary if the patient vomits the food after binge eating in order not to gain weight. In this case, there is a strong mental disorder that must be treated by a doctor in any case. However, obesity is also a very dangerous and unhealthy condition for the body and must be medically examined in any case.

A psychologist is necessary when binge eating is triggered by specific events or ideas. It can be social problems or the loss of someone. A doctor is therefore necessary when binge eating suddenly occurs in a person and they do not want to admit the disease.

symptoms and course

A typical symptom of binge eating is a loss of control over food intake, making it impossible for those affected to stop their binge eating. Since this behavior is associated with feelings of shame and high levels of suffering, binge eaters usually try to hide their unhealthy eating habits from other people.

It is therefore typical of binge eating that people eat alone. Foods that contain large amounts of fat or sugar are consumed particularly frequently . Eating is often unusually fast and hectic. This behavior means that binge eating is almost always more or less overweight.

Diagnose

Therefore, diagnosing binge eating is almost always about recognizing these signs. The attending physician is often faced with the problem that those affected do not honestly explain their eating behavior due to feelings of shame or guilt. A clear indication of binge eating is that the person concerned regularly engages in the behavior described over a longer period of time, which can only be recognized in conversation.

Evidence of previous eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia and predisposition to depressive disorders and anxiety disorders often make it easier to diagnose binge eating. The actual eating behavior with the typical loss of control during the seizures also contributes to the diagnosis of binge eating.

complications

Binge eating can cause various complications that can cause serious damage to the body in the long run. The body is severely damaged, especially physically, so that serious diseases can develop in the individual organs. It can lead to stroke or diabetes . The gastrointestinal tract is also damaged by binge eating, which can lead to digestive problems.

It is not uncommon for the symptom to be accompanied by bad breath. In addition to the physical complaints, binge eating leads to severe psychological complications. Patients suffer from low self-esteem and often from inferiority complexes.

Bullying and teasing can also occur. Social contacts decrease and patients often withdraw. In the worst case, this leads to suicidal thoughts and ultimately to suicide. Binge eating is usually treated by a psychologist, although in serious cases the treatment can also take place in a closed clinic. The relapse rate after treatment is relatively high.

treatment and therapy

Binge eating therapy is usually about getting eating behavior back on track and avoiding a loss of control. It is often also necessary to treat mental illnesses that underlie binge eating. In the course of the therapy, those affected should learn to find their way back to a moderate and, above all, healthy diet and to learn to eat consciously again.

Last but not least, the focus is on trying to get your body weight back under control. However, in the case of binge eating, losing a significant amount of weight is initially not a realistic therapy goal; rather, the first thing to do is to stop the further weight gain and to find a stable balance.Therapy usually focuses on trying to identify risky situations that lead to binge eating in good time. If the person concerned succeeds in doing this, it is easier to react consciously and to avoid loss of control.

In the medium term, it is possible in this way to return to unproblematic eating habits and to deal appropriately with setbacks. Binge eating, like bulimia and anorexia, is now recognized as an eating disorder in its own right. Binge eating therapies have a relatively high success rate.

prevention

To prevent binge eating, it is advisable to plan your own eating habits regularly and consciously. Those who learn to listen to their own body’s signals, such as hunger or a feeling of fullness , are less likely to suffer a complete loss of control. It is also advisable not to be distracted when eating, but to enjoy it consciously and to make sure that you chew each bite long enough. Exercise and physical activity can also help to avoid binge eating.

Dorothy Farrar

Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.

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