Analysis Of Binge Eating Disorders

1141 Words3 Pages

Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating disorder, also known as BED or compulsive overeating, is a serious disorder that is characterized by a recurrent, irresistible urge to overindulge or binge on food even when you are painfully full. We reveal how and why it becomes a problem, and what you can do about it.
It is normal to overeat from time to time, but when it comes to binge eating, the urge is persistent and seemingly uncontrollable, and is usually accompanied by feelings of shame and guilt. Binge eating disorder, just like other mental disorders, is strongly linked to depression, low self-esteem, anxiety and stress. Persistent overeating leads to obesity and other serious health conditions.
Qatar is now among the top 5 fattest countries in …show more content…

However, there are specific criteria which characterize binge eating disorder:
• Inability to stop bingeing or thinking about food all the time.
• Bingeing episodes that last more than 2 hours.
• Continuing to binge even after becoming uncomfortably full.
• Feelings of self-loathing, depression, shame and guilt during and after a bingeing episode.
• Hiding while bingeing.
• Eating so fast that you don’t even feel or taste the food.
The Effects of Binge Eating
Obesity is one of the primary symptoms of binge eating disorder. However, not all victims of the disorder are obese or overweight. A good number of them still manage to maintain a lean body structure by using purging techniques such as laxatives.
Other side effects include:
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Gastrointestinal problems
Psychological Effects of Binge Eating Disorder
In addition to physical stress on the body, binge eating has a negative impact on mental and emotional health with effects including:
• Anxiety
…show more content…

However, typically individuals will ignore the signs and symptoms and ‘pretend’ they are fine. This is in part due to social stigma about being severally overweight but also the addictive food that is being consumed.
Many binge eaters simply do not realise they have an addiction to food. Food labelling does NOT convey the nature of the ingredients in the food.
Dietary Changes
The first step is to eliminate the addictive substances found in processed foods (refined sugar, refined flour and additives) to allow the brain and taste buds a chance to detox from the addiction.
This can be a tough time, physically and emotionally, while the body adjusts to naturally producing rewarding neurotransmitters, but in just a few weeks the brain has time to recover and up-regulate natural happy chemicals.
Therapy and Counselling
As is common with other eating disorders, binge eating can be treated with talking therapy and nutritional counselling. Talking therapy addresses dysfunctional behaviours and thoughts involved in the disorder, while nutritional counselling focuses on building strong healthy eating

Open Document