A serious eating disorder that causes persistent hunger is called binge eating disorder. Those who experience this condition may feel like they cannot stop eating, which makes them eat much larger meals than usual they do.
However, most people overreact on occasion (including having seconds or thirds of a holiday meal). The symptom that indicates binge-eating disorder is a regular feeling that eating is out of control. Unusual large amounts of food also may be a symptom of this eating disorder.
Commonly, those who suffer from this eating disorder feel ashamed or embarrassed about their eating binges. Furthermore, people with binge-eating disorder frequently try to cut off or severely restrict their eating but it may worsen the condition and lead to another cycle of binge eating.
There are some treatment options available for people with this eating disorder that help control eating binges.
Symptoms
While some people with this eating disorder are overweight or obese, some of them are at a healthy weight. Moreover, people with binge-eating disorder feel upset about their body shape or size no matter how they look. Check below some symptoms:
- Frequently eating large amounts of food
- Eating very fast during binges, even when they are not hungry or full, or until they are uncomfortably full
- Such people eat alone or in secret frequently
- Uncontrollable eating behavior (including you cannot stop eating once started)
- Feeling ashamed, guilty, disgusted, depressed, or upset about your eating
The condition’s severity can be determined based on how much eating binges interact with your mood and ability to function in daily life. However, this condition may be short-lived, come and go, or may last for years, especially if it is left untreated.
What is the Difference between Binge-eating Disorder and Bulimia Nervosa?
Bulimia nervosa is another eating disorder in which people may binge and after that vomit, use laxatives, or get rid of extra calories by excessive exercise. However, people with binge-eating disorder may try to diet or eat less food to compensate but it usually does not help and may lead to more binge eating.
If you experience any of the previous symptoms, immediately consult a healthcare provider or mental health professional. For people who are embarrassed by this condition and cannot talk with a healthcare professional, it is recommended to start talking with a person you trust including a friend, family member, teacher, and others.
If you notice a loved one experiencing binge-eating disorder symptoms, you should have an open and honest discussion about your concerns. However, you should consider approaching the topic with sensitivity because this is a mental health condition, and eating binger is not the choice of the person. In addition, such people frequently hide their behavior. That’s why it may be challenging to notice the symptoms.
Causes
While experts do not know the exact causes of binge-eating disorder, they think a mix of genetics, how the body works, long-term dieting, and existing mental health problems could play a role.
Risk Factors
This eating disorder tends to occur more in females than in men. While binge-eating disorder may occur at any age, it mostly happens in the late teens or early 20s. Check below some factors that could elevate your risk of developing binge-eating disorder:
- Family history – Your risk of developing the condition increases if you have a parent or sibling with this condition.
- Dieting – There are a lot of people with this eating disorder that have a history of dieting. People who limit calories or diet for long periods are at higher risk of developing binge-eating disorders.
- Mental health disorders – Most people with this eating disorder feel negatively about their accomplishments, skills, and themselves. The most common triggers of eating binges include stress, poor body self-image, and some foods.
What Are The Potential Complications of Binge-eating Disorder?
People who do not get treatment for this condition may experience some complications. For example:
- Feeling uncomfortable to enjoy the life
- Functioning problems at work, in social situations, or in personal life
- Significant weight gain (not every time)
- Feeling isolated from others
- Certain health conditions (such as joint problems, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, malnutrition, insomnia, and others)
Furthermore, check below some mental health conditions linked with binge-eating disorder:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Substance use disorders
- Suicidal thoughts and behavior
Is it Possible to Prevent Binge-eating Disorder?
Check below some tips that may help your child overcome the symptoms:
- It is advised to talk with your child to accept the body regardless of size and shape and try to convince him/her that restricting food or dieting is useless if a food allergy is not diagnosed.
- You should also discuss any problems with your child’s physician because he/she may help identify early symptoms of the condition and get proper treatment as soon as possible.
Diagnosis
Usually, to diagnose this eating disorder doctors perform a mental health evaluation that includes discussions about your feelings and eating habits. In addition, physicians may perform additional tests to check for conditions that may be caused by binge-eating disorder. Examples include:
- A physical examination
- Urine and blood tests
- An evaluation with a sleep disorder specialist
Treatment
The treatment goal is to lessen eating binges and return to normal eating habits. Moreover, treatment also helps treat negative emotions associated with this condition including poor body self-image, shame, and others.
Commonly, treating binge-eating disorder involves a team of specialists including dieticians, mental health professionals, and others. Check below the most common treatments used to treat an eating binge disorder:
Talk Therapy
This treatment option is also known as psychotherapy and it involves learning to cope with eating binges. Check below some talk therapy types that can help with binge-eating disorder:
- CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) – This therapy helps people overcome problems that trigger eating binges including negative feelings about the body, a depressed mood, and others.
- ICAT (integrative cognitive-affective therapy) – ICAT is mostly used in adults with this eating disorder and it helps to change behaviors and emotions that cause binge eating.
- Dialectical behavior therapy – This talk therapy type involves learning skills that help overcome stress and negative emotions, and improve relationships with other people.
Medicines
The first FDA-approved medication for people with binge-eating disorder is an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) called Lisdexamfetamine. However, this medicine should be used exactly as prescribed by your doctor because this drug is a stimulant that can be habit-forming and misused. The most common adverse reactions of Lisdexamfetamine include dry mouth and sleeping disturbances (insomnia).
Additionally, physicians may prescribe certain medicines to reduce the symptoms of this eating disorder. These include medications used for seizures and some antidepressants.
Frequently Asked Questions
How common is binge eating disorder?
This mental disorder is the most common eating disorder in the U.S. and it negatively affects people of all ethnic and racial groups.
What is the most effective treatment for people with binge eating disorder?
An attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medicine called Lisdexamfetamine along with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is mostly used to treat this condition. However, do not take any medicines without your doctor’s approval because it may lead to unpleasant outcomes.
What are the possible complications of binge-eating disorder?
People with binge-eating disorder may experience some complications, especially if they do not get treatment for the disease. Examples include:
- Some cancer types
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Gallbladder disease
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- High cholesterol
This document does not contain all possible binge-eating disorder complications. For more details, discuss with your healthcare providers.
