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Although food is a necessity of life, everyone
has a different relationship with eating. For some it is a source of sustenance
or nourishment while others can have a negative and even harmful association
with food; which somewhere causes serious mental and physical health issues.
Some people consume large amounts of food –
often junk food- at the same time, often
several times a day, to reduce stress and relieve anxiety, which also
causes Binge Eating Disorder (BED). Bloating, acid reflux and stomach
discomfort - such digestive disorders are caused by overeating.
Binge Eating Disorder Binge eating disorder (BED) is a severe,
life-threatening, and treatable eating disorder. During
a binge eating session the person is unable to control his emotions. In fact, eating
disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
What is Binge
Eating Disorder,
The urge to eat huge amounts of food even when
there is no appetite is called binge eating. The Diagnostic and StatisticalManual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM-5) describes binge eating disorder as eating more than an average amount
of food in a limited timeframe—usually around two hours—while feeling out of
control.
Binge eaters tend to eat much faster than
normal, eat until their stomach becomes uncomfortable and eat alone because of
shame. They can’t stop themselves from over eating, and may feel ashamed,
guilty and depressed.
Binge Eating Disorder is an eating disorder which can occur in
people of all ages and genders, across all socioeconomic groups, and from any
cultural background. Unlike other eating
disorders, people with this problem don’t try to purge themselves by vomiting
or restrict their eating. This usually leads to being overweight or obese, but
not always. Guilt and depression usually follow binge eating.
With a binge eating habit, you may not be able
to compensate for the extra calories taken by regularly vomiting, using
laxatives or exercising excessively. The severity of binge-eating disorder is
determined by how often episodes of bingeing occur during a week.
The worldwide prevalence of BED for the years
2018–2020 is estimated to be 0.6–1.8% in adult women and 0.3–0.7% in adult men.
BED is commonly associated with obesity and with somatic and mental health
comorbidities. People with BED experience considerable burden and impairments
in quality of life, and, at the same time, BED often goes undetected and
untreated.
What cause BED,
The exact causes for BED are not known but
contributing factors include:
Genetics - family history of the disorder in
close relatives increases the likelihood of developing BED
Dieting increases the urge to binge eat
Gender - it is more common in women than men
Emotional trauma - traumatic childhood of
bullying, abuse or divorce may contribute
Age - it often develops in late teens and early
20s
Psychological issues - most people with this
disorder have poor self-image and stress
History of previous binge eating
It's important to note that binge eating is a complex issue that can have multiple causes and contributing factors, and seeking professional help from a mental health provider can be an important step in addressing and treating this problem.
Serious health complications
associated with Binge eating,
People with binge eating disorder are at higher
risk of depressive mood disorders, anxiety, low-self esteem and substance
use disorder. It also increases the risks of being overweight or obese, high
cholesterol, high blood pressure, type-2 diabetes, gallbladder disease, cardiovascular
diseases, mental strokes, kidney failure, stroke, some types of cancer, metabolic syndrome,
insulin resistance, dyslipidemia (abnormal blood lipid level),
psychiatric illnesses, particularly depression. Guilt and depression
usually follow binge eating.
Stomach discomfort, pain, or cramping, nausea
or feeling ill, difficulty concentrating, bloating, low energy, heartburn or
other signs of acid reflux, diarrhea, constipation or feeling blocked weight
gain.
According to research published in the International Journal of
Eating Disorders, adults with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
It is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often continues
into adulthood) are four times more likely to develop binge eating disorders
than are people without ADHD.
There is a complex connection between binge eating disorder and
ADHD, actually several factors are
common in both, such as difficulties with emotional regulation, impulsivity,
and reward processing.
Binge eating is a serious mental illness, characterised by
regular episodes of excessive eating, which can lead to long-term health
problems, even death. Death in binge eaters is most commonly a result of
associated vomiting, which causes large shifts in body chemistry that cause the
heart to go into fatal rhythms. Even without induced vomiting, however, binge
eating sometimes kills people by rupturing the stomach or causing an unusual
kind of asphyxiation.
It is estimated that every 52 minutes, someone dies from a
complication of an eating disorder—that's 10,200 deaths per year in the United
States.
Is emotional breakdown also a cause
for binge eating?
Yes, somewhere emotional ups and downs are the
main reason for binge eating. Negative emotions like anxiety and anger can
trigger binge eating. Binge eating episodes then fuel more negative feelings.
They may even leave you with the feeling that you hate yourself. If you have a
mood disorder such as depression or anxiety, BED may be even harder on you
emotionally. Negative emotions such as guilt and sadness can increase the risk
for eating disorders such as binge eating. The way in which a person responds
to their emotions can impact the development of binge eating.
Is BED curable,
Binge eating disorder is treatable but not
curable. Talk to your medical care provider or a mental health professional
about your binge eating symptoms and feelings. Its treatment usually includes
psychotherapy (talk therapy) such as Cognitive behavioral therapy,
Interpersonal psychotherapy, Dialectical behaviour therapy and participation in
a structured weight loss program. Medications might also be prescribed - for
example the use of Antidepressants (SSRIs-Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors),
specific medications for compulsions and therapy. Self -care steps can also
reinforce your treatment plan
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