Binge eating disorder is a condition when you can’t stop eating even if you are satisfactorily full. Binge eating is more common in women as compared to men.
Nearly 3% of adults in the USA are suffering from binge eating disorders. People who are obese are more prone to get binge eating disorders, though normal people may also get it.
For your binge eating disorder treatment, you may talk to a specialist who has profound experience in treating people with various eating disorders.
Taking medications may also help you in improving your condition. Sometimes, you may need support from your friends and families to combat this issue.
Binge Eating Disorder Symptoms
If you have a binge eating disorder, you may experience the following symptoms.
- Will consume more foods as compared to a normal person in the same situation
- You can’t control your eating habits
- Feel upset after you binge
Some other symptoms are:
- Eat much faster than normal
- Consume adequate foods to be uncomfortably full
- You will eat despite not feeling hungry
- You will prefer to eat alone due to embarrassment, so no one will notice how much food you are eating
- Feel guilty, repulsed, or depressed about your eating
- Have low confidence
- Diet a lot
- Loss of sexual urge
People who are having binge eating disorder problems, won’t regurgitate foods after overeating. These people used to gain weight easily and as a result, they may suffer from diseases like type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
People with binge eating disorders may also not sleep comfortably. They may experience muscle and joint pain, and other digestive problems. Women may experience irregular menstruation periods.
Causes of Binge Eating Disorder
The exact causes of binge eating are still not known, but several things may play a pivotal role in this context.
- Several experts believe that the abnormal functioning of brain areas may control hunger and fullness. Impulse control may also stimulate binge eating disorders.
- If you have a binge eating disorder, you can’t control your emotions. You usually use food to control and express yourself.
- Sometimes, skipping meals or a stringent diet may cause binge eating
- Depression is directly proportional to binge eating. Medical studies are going to establish the fact that whether brain chemicals or metabolism play roles in binge eating
- The disorder is also common in some families. Some families may overeat or put unusual importance on food. They may use food as a reward or as a way to comfort some members.
- Due to binge eating, obese people may become overweight at a younger age. These people need to lose weight. Some people opt for binge eating as they have experienced difficult emotional or physical abuse or had addictions, such as alcohol or drugs. If you are binge eating due to these habits, then by avoiding these habits, you can improve your binge eating disorder.
Complications of Binge Eating Disorder
Obesity is the prime complication of binge eating. Some other complications could be,
- Depression
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Gallbladder disease
- Heart disease
- Shortness of breath
- Certain types of cancer
- Menstrual problems
- Decreased mobility
- Tiredness
- Sleep problems
Binge Eating Treatments
You can combat binge eating with your willpower.
Certain medications like Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) will be prescribed to conquer the desire to binge eat. This is the first FDA-approved medicine used to treat moderate to severe binge eating by shortening the binge eating incidents. You may need to consult a psychiatrist or psychologist.
A psychologist may opt for cognitive behavior therapy to control binge eating. This treatment particularly focuses on what you do and how you feel. This type of treatment may change your perception about eating and help you to understand what the triggering factors for binges are.
Your doctor may recommend counseling for the entire family where all members will have adequate knowledge about the disorder. Once they know about your disorder, they will identify the stress sources of your home, and the know-how to support you to overcome this disorder. Family support is an integral part of your treatment success. Your family members should understand this eating disorder and they also are aware of all its signs and symptoms.
Try to find a support group in your locality. You can connect with other people who know what you are facing or going through.
To overcome binge eating, you need to treat other health conditions, such as depression or anxiety. Sometimes, your doctor may prescribe antidepressants to manage binges. Popular drugs are anti-seizure drugs like topiramate or other medications. A new medicine called naltrexone HCL/bupropion HCL (Contrave) helps you in losing weight.
Can Binge Eating Disorder Be Prevented?
Though it could be an arduous job to control binge eating disorder completely, you should start the treatments once you have experienced the symptoms. Try to follow some studies or facts that describe the importance of wholesome eating habits. Acquire knowledge about various food items so that you can prevent the development of eating disorders.
How Can You Take Care of Yourself?
If you are stressed, you will eat more food and this will increase your binge eating disorder. So, always stay positive to manage your stress. Yoga, meditation, exercise, and massage therapy are beneficial in minimizing stress in your life. Some self-help strategies such as reading a novel and meditation may help you in identifying the triggering factors that will uplift your binge eating.
Your doctor may suggest a nutritional counselor who will enforce healthy eating habits to control binge eating. If you are suffering from type-2 diabetes or high cholesterol level, you need to avoid certain food items to lose weight. Consult a doctor regarding how to reduce weight without impacting the triggering factors for binge eating.
The Bottom Line
To treat binge eating disorders, your prime objective is how to become a healthy person. You don’t need to only be concerned about the numbers on a scale or serving sizes; rather you should focus on how foods are related to your body. Many people have overpowered this disorder with treatment.
With proper guidance and support, you can also get rid of this disorder. Don’t lose your patience as people who have binge eating disorders often blame them. Initially, you may face some difficulties, but with your determination and willpower, you can certainly gain more control over your eating habits.
