Binge eating disorder is characterized by compulsive overeating. The binges are similar to those experienced by bulimics, however unlike people with bulimia, people with binge eating disorder do not engage in any compensatory behaviours to prevent weight gain.
People with binge eating disorder often eat very large amounts of food (sometimes between 10,000 and 20,000 calories per binge) in a short space of time, even when they are not hungry. The binges usually take place in private, with the person eating very quickly and feeling unable to stop.
During the binge, the person feels they have no control over themselves, and after, they experience feelings of extreme fullness together with feelings of guilt and disgust.
As with all eating disorders, people with binge eating disorder use food to cope with difficult or painful emotions. They become caught up in a vicious cycle in which they use food and bingeing to comfort/soothe themselves, however this eventually leads to them experiencing feelings of guilt, disgust and self-hatred. This leaves them feeling more depressed, and so therefore more likely to turn to food again to escape those feelings. For this reason, binge eating disorder is often associated with obesity.
Individuals with Binge Eating Disorder experience feelings of guilt, disgust and embarrassment, and therefore most of the binging occurs in secret.
Some signs to look out for include:
People suffering from Binge Eating Disorder often experience the same health problems as people who are diagnosed as being clinically obese, such as:
Although there are very serious medical complications which can result from all types of eating disorders, the good news is that almost all are completely reversible upon the person becoming weight restored and nutritionally healthy.