Binge eating, or compulsive eating—as it is more familiarly known—affects more than 20 million people in the United States alone. And yet, we focus more on bulimia nervosa and anorexia when it comes to eating disorder.
Also, not all overweight persons binge eat. And where does food addiction fit into the mix? The biggest challenge is to sort through whether the patient has food addiction, binge eating disorder, or a combination of the two. The food addict also eats a large amount of food in a small period of time , and like compulsive eating, it comes with consequences that can be lethal, such as obesity, heart disease, relationship issues, body image, and et cetera.
The big difference between the two disorders is food addicts crave specific foods that are uncontrollable no matter what attempts they put forth to stop i. I liken food addiction, an uncontrollable craving for high sugar and processed foods, to recreational drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and nicotine. When it comes to treatment for binge eating disorder it is often not about the food but rather about the emotional deficits.
When it comes to treatment for food addiction it is about the food—specific foods that trigger the compulsion to consume large amounts of it no matter what the cost. Although binge eating disorder and food addiction share many of the same symptoms, food addiction shares the emotional component of binge eating disorder as well as the symptoms such as obsession with body, weight, mood shifts, closet eating, stealing, where compulsive eating is about the inability to deal with emotions. Are you worried that you or someone close to you is suffering from compulsive overeating?
If so, help is at hand. Here, we tell you more about overeating, the signs and symptoms of compulsive overeating, the help and various treatments available and the associated risks. Addiction Helper have helped over 10, individuals seek help, support and treatment for various addictions including addiction to food and various other related eating disorders.
We have access to all the latest information on treatments available for the successful recovery from eating disorders such as compulsive eating. We will do all we can to ensure that you are armed with the facts of compulsive eating disorder and assist you in finding you the best treatment possible in order that a full and lasting recovery can be made. Compulsive overeating is also known as overeating, food addiction and binge eating disorder.
Overeating is differentiated from bulimia because overeaters will not try to compensate by vomiting, fasting or exercising. Binge eating is more common than anorexia and bulimia , and affects a significant number of men as well as women. Compulsive overeating can range from binge eating to constant grazing; both are overeating disorders that the individual feels powerless to stop or control. Usually with every compulsive overeater, when the individual reaches a stage of not being able to self-care or leave the house due to physical complications associated with being morbidly obese; in order for them to continue to overeat, they will enlist the help of someone that will enable them in their addiction.
Often this is a significant other, partner, parent, child, or close friend. The compulsive overeater will make the enabler feel guilty, manipulate, scream, shout, cry, or just generally make life very difficult for them if they do not conform to their wants and needs in their addiction to food. For an easy life, the enabler who often has traits of Co-dependency and fears rejection or not being needed, will see to the food addicts every want and need; further enabling them to continue to compulsively overeat.
If you feel you are enabling a loved one to continue to overeat, it is vital that you seek professional help, both for the compulsive overeater and for yourself. If you recognise yourself as enabling them, please read our page on Co-dependency , which will help you to better understand the condition and how to access the best help and support possible.
Compulsive overeating is more than just a physical addiction to food. By compulsively overeating they are avoiding sitting with uncomfortable feelings and emotions.
When not compulsively overeating they will often feel, agitated, dissatisfied, irritable, depressed, anxious and on edge. Addiction is an illness of the mind that manifests physically in an addiction to a substance, person or activity. For a Compulsive overeater, food addict, or binge eater, food provides the individual with feelings of comfort, warmth and ease, similar to that of a drug addict or alcoholic. However as the addiction is related to food, which is a necessary fuel for the body to function, they find themselves head on with their addiction on a daily basis.
Obviously, they cannot abstain from food, as an alcoholic or addict must with their substance they are addicted to. Compulsive overeaters have to learn to abstain from the maladaptive behaviours and certain trigger foods that are associated with their condition and receive appropriate treatment for the psychological aspect which is the driving force behind the addictive illness.
Compulsive overeating and binge eating usually starts out as what is known as comfort eating during childhood and teenage years; this can then progress into to a full blown compulsive overeating or binge eating disorder most commonly during teenage years and adulthood.
The child will comfort eat to ease and deal with emotions and feelings that they do not understand how to process. There can be many causes for this illness manifesting, which we will cover in the next section. As a serious mental health illness that usually manifests during childhood there can be a number of factors or events that can trigger it, such as:. Whatever the cause for the compulsive overeating, as an eating disorder it is classified as a serious mental health illness.
It should be treated very seriously and with the assistance of qualified professionals, health advisors and specialists. Binge Eating Disorder On the surface, food addiction and binge eating disorder can appear very similar. Do you have a loved one battling an eating disorder and would like a better understanding of this disease? Our newsletter offers current eating disorder recovery resources and information. Join Today! All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy. Terms of Use. Call a specialist at Timberline Knolls for help advertisement. If you have ever sat down for a meal and ate to the point that you were uncomfortably full, is this something you should be concerned about? What if you find it difficult to control yourself around food, or find yourself reaching for food, even when you are not hungry?
Are these behaviors indicative of Compulsive Overeating or a Food Addiction? When it comes to overeating, compulsive overeating, or even a food addiction, there is a plethora of misinformation and confusion around these issues. Any abnormal food behaviors should never be ignored, especially if these are negatively influencing your quality of life or preventing you from your daily activities. On the surface, these conditions may appear to be similar, though there are subtle differences of which to be aware.
This article will help you clear up this information. Compulsive overeating can be defined by certain behaviors and criteria that may demonstrate a lack of control around food. Some of the most common and defining behaviors of compulsive overeating may include but are not limited to the following:.
Many individuals who struggle with compulsive overeating often turn to food during moments of intense emotional experiences or in overwhelming situations. For example, after a stressful day at work, a woman may go home and binge on a large quantity of food, often as a means of solace or comfort.
Or a man who is struggling through a painful divorce might look to food as a way of distraction or a means of filling emptiness. In many situations, unresolved trauma, painful experiences, or intense emotions may be at the root of compulsive overeating. Typically, individuals who are dealing with compulsive overeating recognize that their behaviors are abnormal and struggle to break the cycle of their eating habits.
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