What is binge eating disorder?
Occasional overeating is normal, and the 'blah' feelings you experience are only temporary.' Next time, the best way to stop overeating before it stops, according to Julia, is to 'eat consistently. Disclaimer: I am not talking about the occasional, 'Oh, I ate too much' overeating. I'm talking about the frenetic, compulsive, holy-shit-I-just-ate-an-entire-gallon-of-ice cream kind of overeating. Or the stuffing-your-face-with-Wheat-Thin-after-Wheat-Thin-until-the-box-is-gone type of episodes.
Sometimes referred to as compulsive overeating, this condition is thought to be the most common eating disorder. It is estimated to affect about 3 percent of all adults in the United States (up to 4 million people). Binge eating is a little more common in women than in men; three women for every two men have it. Occasional overeating is normal, and not all people who overeat have a binge eating disorder. Binge eating is described as:
- The consumption of large amounts of food in a limited period of time, such as a two-hour time frame
- Feelings of loss of control and marked distress over eating behavior
- Eating large amounts of food without being hungry
- Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
- Feelings of disgust, depression, and guilt after overeating
- Eating alone or in secret out of embarrassment at the quantity of food being eaten
- Behavior that usually occurs at least 1 day a week for at least 3 months.
Binge eating disorder does not involve purging (forced vomiting).
If you think you have binge eating disorder, it is important to know that you are not alone. Most people who have this disorder have tried to control it themselves for years without success. Talk to your healthcare provider about the type of help that may be best for you.
What causes binge eating disorder?
/GettyImages-1093972196-dc883cf7e83b4d99b2d9e8ff916f6cbf.jpg "Occasional")
The causes of binge eating disorder are still unknown. It may start as early as childhood or the early teens and may also run in families. Research indicates that up to half of people with this condition suffer from depression. Whether depression is a cause or the effect of binge eating is unclear.
Binge eating may be triggered by emotional feelings or reactions, such as anger, sadness, boredom, or worry. Impulsive behavior (acting quickly without thinking) and certain other emotional problems can be more common in people with binge eating disorder.
It is also unclear if dieting and binge eating are related, though strict dieting may actually make the problem worse. Some research shows that restricting food intake or trying to follow very-low calorie diets may set off a binge. About half of all people with binge eating disorder will binge right before starting a diet.
Spritual Hunger | Why We Are Hungry
Have you ever been half way through your meal and realized that you are full, but continued to clean your plate anyway?
And then maybe proceeded to go back for seconds or right to the dessert because, well, it’s there.
Then that “stuffed” feeling kicks in followed by the regret and self-flagellating thoughts around eating too much – once again.
For many, meals can feel like a constant tug of war between “I shouldn’t” versus “I want”.
“I shouldn’t eat more because I know I’m full, but I want to keep eating because….”
This is where it gets hazy.
2 Main Reasons Why We Overeat
Occasional overeating or emotional eating is a part of normal eating. It’s the frequency with which someone turns to these patterns that indicates a deeper issue. If this tendency is more chronic then occasional, then it’s time to ask yourself: What am I really hungry for?
Every Monday at Green Mountain I teach a class to arriving participants about the physical, emotional and spiritual hungers that may trigger the desire to eat when not hungry.
1 Physical Overeating
Physically we may overeat due to stress hormone imbalances, health conditions, or simply not eating well-balanced meals throughout the day, which may lead to malnourishment (hello cravings).
2 Emotional Overeating
Emotional overeating may be caused by the desire to self soothe or to numb out one’s feelings – typically the uncomfortable ones such as sadness, loneliness, anger, guilt, frustration, etc…you get the drift.
But it’s the spiritual hunger that sparks the most dialogue in class.
Occasional Overeating
What Is Spiritual Hunger?
Spiritual hunger is about feeling disconnected from a sense of purpose, fulfillment, joy, and/or passion for one’s life. This type of hunger may show up as depression – the experience of enduring rather than thriving in life. A feeling of survival mode or a “flat-line”, as I call it. Food can serve to anesthetize a person from this suffering – from feeling that that void.
Even though spiritual hunger is not a food or willpower issue, diets are often the go-to solution in an attempt to gain control over what feels uncontrollable.
Benefits Of Occasional Overeating
“Using food and/or diets to deal with spiritual hunger is like putting a bandage on a hemorrhaging wound that won’t stop bleeding.”
It’s bound to fail unless the source of the wound is addressed.
How Do You Know If You Are Grappling With Spiritual Hunger?
One way is to write out a list of the day’s “I should” versus the “I wants”. What does that list look like? Is it balanced or imbalanced? If it tips the scales on the “I should”, then ask yourself:
What are my sources of joy in life?
Who and what do I feel connected to?
What am I passionate about?
What gives my life meaning?
If these questions leave your mind blank, then consider using them as a springboard from which to explore.
Many of the women who come to Green Mountain seem to be on a similar quest to discover the answers to these very questions. On some level they know it is time to pay attention to that deeper hunger and to learn how to better feed their spirit for optimal well-being.
Occasional Overeating
Are You Seeking A weight loss program that explores the emotional and behavioral issues around food, weight and eating?