What is binge eating?
Impact
Binge eating can affect everyone and often has dramatic consequences. Individuals who are very successful in other areas may struggle around a basket of bread in a restaurant or rummage the fridge in the middle of the night. They may hide from their families and spend hundred of dollars on binge foods every day. Binge eating is extremely distressing and often significantly worsens depression or may even cause suicidal thoughts.
Diagnosis
Binge eating is a hallmark of a binge eating disorder- a serious behavioral and emotional disorder. It is diagnosed when an individual experiences the feeling of loss of control over eating and engages in recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food, frequently very fast and in isolation, to the point or past the point of physical discomfort.
Triggers
Binge eating is very distressing physically and painful emotionally. It brings out negative feelings and self-hatred, even though, it may be experienced as a way of coping with negative emotions.
It often starts after going on a restrictive diets or following rigid food rules. It can be triggered by anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, or thoughts about previous traumatic events. It may happen when someone is bored or very busy and under a lot of stress.
Vicious cycles
Repeated attempts to control binge eating by trying more restrictive diets, eliminating certain foods from the menu or weight loss treatments only worsen the symptoms and further increase the feelings of helplessness, lack of control and depression.
Help is available
BE-REcoverED was designed to help you learn how to stop binge eating and discover freedom around food. Limited spots are available. Reserve yours now.