Do you have times when you overeat, even when you’re not hungry? Have you ever felt out of control and eaten so fast that you don’t remember what you ate? If so, you may be struggling with a condition known as Binge Eating Disorder (BED).
Binge Eating Disorder is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of consuming large quantities of food in a short period. According to The National Institute of Mental Health, binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder people experience.
In this article, we will define BED, identify signs and causes, what therapists do to specifically help those with BED, and how to stop binge eating episodes.
Defining Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating disorder was first talked about in 1959 by psychiatrist Albert Stunkard. It was first thought to only happen at night, since he originally named the disorder “Night Eating Syndrome,” but he later retracted this title after he realized the nocturnal portion was not necessary to experience the disorder.
Binge Eating Disorder can occur frequently, with periods of regular overeating alternating with periods of normal or near-normal eating habits. When someone suffers from BED, they may feel out of control and unable to stop during these episodes.
During these binge eating episodes, individuals cannot stop or control what and how much they are eating. This behavior is accompanied by guilt and shame due to the inability to stop. It differs from overeating or occasional binging because it occurs regularly over a prolonged period and can lead to serious physical health issues.
BED is distinctly different from other types of disordered eating because it features recurrent episodes of overconsumption rather than extreme restriction or purging behaviors.
Binge Eating Disorder affects about 2.8 million people, and was recognized as an official diagnosis in 2013. In light of it not always appearing as serious as it is, binge eating disorder often goes undiagnosed because it is mistaken for overeating, but it goes beyond any love of food and much more into the mental health side.
Common signs and symptoms
As with most disorders, there are a handful of signs and symptoms most experience when they suffer from binge eating disorder.
Common signs and symptoms include:
- Feeling out of control while eating, often consuming large amounts of food in a short period
- Eating rapidly
- Continuing to eat even when full or uninterested in the food
- Eating large quantities of unhealthy foods such as high-calorie, sugar, and processed foods
- Frequently feeling guilty or ashamed after eating episodes
- Becoming preoccupied with food and planning for the next binge episode
- Avoiding meals or social situations involving food due to feelings of guilt or shame
- Experiencing physical symptoms such as stomach pain, bloating, or nausea after eating
- Engaging in unhealthy compensatory behaviors such as fasting, excessive exercising, or purging to counteract the effects of overeating
It’s important to note that while people with this disorder may be overweight or obese, not everyone who struggles with BED will be overweight because they may limit their calorie intake on other days during the week.
Other than physical signs of the binge eating cycle, like weight gain or loss, those suffering from binge eating disorder may show symptoms of depression or anxiety. They may avoid social situations due to insecurity about their body image and low self-esteem. They might also experience insomnia due to the stress caused by their disorder.
Possible Causes of Binge Eating Disorder
The exact cause of BED is unknown, but several risk factors can contribute to its development.
Potential causes for BED include:
- Underlying psychological issues such as depression and anxiety
- Traumatic life experiences such as abuse or neglect
- Genetic predisposition
- Dieting behavior
- Food availability/accessibility
- Certain medical conditions like hypothyroidism or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Body dissatisfaction
Additionally, people with a family history of substance use disorder may be at an increased risk for developing BED.
Health Implications for Those Who Have Binge Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) can have serious health implications for those who suffer from it. This condition can lead to physical and mental exhaustion and health problems that are both short- and long-term.
In the short term, individuals suffering from BED may experience the following:
- Extreme fatigue after episodes of overeating
- Difficulty concentrating or focusing
- Gastrointestinal issues due to the large amounts of food
- Physical discomfort
- Bloating
In the long term, people with BED are more likely to develop chronic health conditions such as:
- obesity
- heart disease
- high cholesterol
- high blood pressure
- type 2 diabetes
- certain types of cancer
Additionally, people with BED are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety due to feelings of guilt and shame associated with their disorder. They may also have difficulty forming relationships due to low self-esteem or fear of judgment by others.
Diagnosing Binge Eating Disorder
To be diagnosed with BED, a person must meet certain criteria outlined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) 5.
According to this criteria, an individual must have three or more out of six components for diagnosis:
- Eating in a discrete period
- Eating an amount that does not fit social norms
- Eating faster than normal
- Inability to stop eating despite feeling full
- Eating alone due to embarrassment or shame
- Feeling guilty or depressed after overeating episodes
A diagnosis of BED requires that two or more such episodes occur on average at least once per week over the previous three months. A licensed therapist performs this assessment to determine a proper diagnosis. From there, treatment options are discussed. BED is a treatable disorder, with a handful of options to create the best treatment plan to fit your needs.
Supporting Activities for Managing Binge Eating Disorder
Many activities can be done to help manage Binge Eating Disorder (BED) from the comfort of your home. These activities can be combined with traditional therapy, medication, or stand-alone treatments to put to practice ways to overcome and prevent the reoccurrence of this disorder.
If you are experiencing a binging episode, try one or more coping techniques to change your focus from using food as comfort to another activity.
How to Stop Binge Eating Episodes:
1. Take a few deep breaths to calm down. Breath work is proven to reduce stress and possible triggers that bring on an episode. There are many types of breathing exercises, but try breathing in for a count of 4, holding for a count of 2, and exhaling with a count of 4. Repeat this 3-10 times and reassess how you feel.
2. Drink a glass of water or herbal tea to help with appetite control reduce hunger sensations and increase hydration levels. Sometimes, the feeling of fullness and hydration can stop an episode from progressing.
3. Distract yourself by doing something else, such as reading, watching TV, listening to music, going for a walk, etc. Distraction is one way to ride out the wave of the episode without engaging in disordered eating behavior.
4. Contact someone in your support network who can provide understanding and reassurance during the episode. Have a code word or phrase when you need someone to help support you through an episode.
5. Remind yourself that this is only temporary and will pass in time with patience and practice. During an episode it feels as if it won’t end until you give in to your cravings. The craving is not the cause of the episode, but a symptom. It is possible to ride out the episode without giving in to the cravings you are experiencing.
6. Do mindfulness or meditation exercises such as repeating positive mantras about self-love and acceptance until the feelings causing you to binge eat pass completely without binge eating. Often, binge eating is accompanied by negative self talk and even self-hatred for not being able to stop these episodes altogether.
Remember that your value is inherent, not earned. Tell yourself you are worthy of good things, your body is a warrior for all you’ve been through, and that you are incredibly resilient. Make these affirmations your own with whatever resonates with you most.
How to prevent binge eating behaviors
If you aren’t currently in the middle of a binge eating episode, try adding some of these techniques to your daily routines to lessen the occurrences of episodes:
1. Start a a food diary or journal to track meals and food cravings. This practice can help you become more aware of your daily food intake and any cravings that lead to binges.
2. Practice mindful eating by slowing down and paying attention to the tastes, textures, and smells of foods being eaten. This helps you to savor and enjoy your experience with food. When you slow down the eating process, your brain’s satiation centers have time to activate, this curbing excessive hunger.
3. Develop healthier coping skills for stress, such as exercise or meditation, instead of turning towards comfort food when feeling overwhelmed. Creating a list of healthy coping skills for stress ahead of time means you have set activities you can turn to in the midst of an episode, when its difficult to think about anything else in the moment.
4. Avoid temptation triggers that are associated with unhealthy eating habits or binge eating episodes, such as keeping junk food out of the house or not visiting certain restaurants or stores where overeating has occurred in the past.
5. Set realistic goals with achievable milestones to help stay on track during recovery from BED. These goals could be for reducing stress, changing lifestyle habits, or building a support system with people you love. Whatever your goals, break them down into small steps, and celebrate when you reach each part.
6 Reach out for help when needed, whether from friends, family, or a licensed mental health professional. Reaching out is an act of bravery, so remember there is no weakness in asking others for support!
By following these steps, those suffering from Binge Eating Disorder can effectively manage their symptoms, reduce binge eating episodes and start toward long-term recovery success. Knowing how to stop binge eating, and preventing future episodes, begins with having an arsenal of skills to utilize. One technique may not work every time you use it, but having a few that help you can make episodes seem less scary to overcome.
No one’s recovery journey looks the same
It is important to remember that each person’s journey with BED is unique and will require patience, dedication, and self-compassion as they each work through this process one day at a time. With the right resources and support system, stopping episodes and recovering from BED is possible.
You are not alone, and it’s okay to need help sometimes. There is no shame in reaching out for support when dealing with eating disorders.
How a Therapist Helps People with Binge Eating Disorder
When treating Binge Eating Disorder (BED), the most important step is finding the right combination of therapy and support that works for an individual. While there isn’t one universal approach to treating BED, a variety of treatment options are available.
The most successful treatment plans for BED include therapy, lifestyle changes, and medication. Therapy can be particularly effective as it targets the root cause of the disorder – emotional triggers associated with overeating episodes such as stress, depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. During therapy sessions, individuals have a safe space to express their feelings and explore dietary patterns that may be contributing to their disordered, eating patterns and habits.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is one of the most effective treatments for BED. CBT helps people identify and challenge unhealthy thoughts and behaviors associated with overeating. This process teaches individuals how to cope with difficult emotions without turning to food for comfort or distraction. Additionally, CBT teaches problem-solving skills and encourages behavior modification so that patients develop healthier ways of dealing with stressors in life.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT is another form of talk therapy often used in tandem with CBT when treating BED. DBT focuses on developing interpersonal skills while addressing self-esteem and personal identity issues. This therapy helps patients build healthy coping mechanisms to manage negative emotions without resorting to binge eating episodes or unhealthy compensatory behaviors such as excessive exercise or purging.
Medication
In addition to these forms of talk therapy, medications are sometimes prescribed as part of a treatment plan for BED. The most commonly prescribed medications are antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs increase serotonin levels in the brain, which can help regulate moods and reduce cravings associated with compulsive eating and overeating episodes.
Overall, when managing Binge Eating Disorder, individualized treatment plans must address both physical and emotional aspects for long-term recovery success from this disorder. Working closely with a mental health professional can help develop the personal coping skills needed for sustained remission from BED while providing compassionate understanding.
Addressing the fears about starting therapy
Uncovering the causes of binge eating can be difficult, uncomfortable, and incredibly emotional. These are just a few reasons people avoid therapy altogether and never heal from what plagues them.
Having a therapist that you can trust can be invaluable, especially if you don’t have a strong support system at home. Your therapist knows that trust between each other takes time, and taking topics slowly and at a pace you are comfortable with is highly important to the overall success of your therapy experience.
Once you gain trust, you can then begin to process the issues that cause the need for the disordered behavior. Without addressing these root causes, processing and healing from this or any disorder can be difficult. Your therapist is there to create a treatment plan you both agree on, and to guide you through the process so progress is made.
Therapy can feel scary, but it is the quickest path to recovery
Know that therapy feels intimating to most people, so you aren’t alone! This mostly comes down to the fear of the unknown and that no one likes being open about our most vulnerable thoughts. Just know that there are kind, compassionate therapists who want to help you heal and recover from anything that holds you back from your best life.
Conclusion
Binge Eating Disorder is the most common of all eating disorders. It’s a complex disorder that requires compassion, patience, and dedication to heal. The journey to stop binge eating may be difficult, but with the right support network in place, it can be done. Knowing how to stop binge eating can be overwhelming when you feel like you can’t control yourself when an episode strikes.
Learn to identify triggers, understand your hunger cues, and utilize the tips in this article to prevent binge eating episodes. These tips and techniques are key to overcoming binge eating in everyday life. A combination of therapy, lifestyle changes, at-home techniques, and possibly medication can lead you to recover from this difficult condition.
If you want to get started on your healing journey and talk about an individualized treatment plan for how to stop binge eating, call us or make an appointment today! We are eager to begin this process with you and see you overcome binge eating to live your best life possible.
