Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is an eating disorder in which sufferers often eat large amounts of food and find it difficult to resist the urge to eat. BED has great potential to cause serious diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and even heart disease.
Definition
Binge eating disorder is a type of eating disorder in which a person continues to eat uncontrollably. Sufferers will continue to think about eating, looking for opportunities to eat even in secret.
Usually, people with this condition want to escape a stressful life, so they give themselves up on food. They also reported that it was very difficult to stop eating.
Unlike people with bulimia nervosa, those who have this eating disorder will indeed regret eating a lot, but they don’t make the effort to lose weight properly. That is why people with this eating disorder tend to be obese.
How Common is this Condition?
A binge eating disorder is a common type of eating disorder. This problematic eating behavior can strike any age but is most often found in teenagers.
Signs & Symptoms
1. What are the Signs?
Signs and symptoms of someone who has a binge eating disorder include:
- Consume large amounts of food quickly, for example, within 2 hours you have eaten 2 large meals.
- Feeling eating behavior is out of control.
- Keep eating when you’re not hungry, even when you’re full.
- Often eats secretly or in secret.
- After overeating, feeling resentful and guilty about myself.
- Sometimes they try to stop themselves from eating, but it causes their appetite to increase.
- Not always, but most binge eaters are obese.
- There may be signs and symptoms of overeating that are not listed above. If you have concerns about certain symptoms, consult your doctor.
2. When Should I See a Doctor?
If you experience signs of a binge eating disorder, you should see a doctor. Especially if it shows the following signs:
- Overeating very quickly.
- Trying to hide food in certain places to eat secretly.
- Weight continues to increase.
3. Causes
The causes of eating disorders such as binge eating disorders are not known for certain. However, as reported on the National Health Service page, several possibilities that can trigger problematic eating behaviors are:
- Excessive anxiety about body weight and shape, due to pressure from society or your job, for example, as a ballet dancer, model, or athlete
- Always criticized about eating habits, body shape, and weight.
- History of anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, or addiction to drugs or alcoholism.
- Have experienced sexual harassment.
4. Risk Factors
Although the cause is unknown, several factors can increase the risk of binge eating, including:
- Diet. Most patients who have previously been on a diet also have depression.
- Psychological problems. Binge eater usually feels negative about their appearance and achievements, one of which is due to stress and pressure in the environment.
- Family health history. You may be at risk for this condition if your parents or siblings also have the same condition.
5. Complications
Binge eating disease can cause complications if left untreated, including:
- The quality of life is deteriorating, because personal, social, and work lives are disrupted.
- Obesity increases the risk of various chronic diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, GERD, and sleep apnea.
- Mental illnesses, such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and addictions.
Diagnosis & Treatment
The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your doctor.
To diagnose this eating disorder, your doctor will recommend a psychological evaluation, which will include a discussion of your eating habits.
The doctor will also ask you to undergo medical tests to check for any complications from this binge eating disorder, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, GERD, and some sleep-breathing disorders.
These health tests may include:
- Physical examination.
- Blood and urine tests
- Sleep disorder center consultation.
What are the treatments?
There are several ways to treat eating disorders, including:
1. Psychotherapy
In psychotherapy treatment, doctors help patients change unhealthy eating habits and reduce overeating. Examples of psychotherapy that are generally carried out are:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Cognitive behavioral therapy can help better deal with issues that can trigger episodes of overeating, such as negative feelings about your body or depressed moods.
- Interpersonal psychotherapy. This type of therapy for binge eating disorders focuses on the patient’s relationships with other people. The aim is to improve skills relating to other people, including family, friends, and co-workers.
- Dialectical behavior therapy. This form of therapy can help patients learn behavioral skills to deal with stress, regulate emotions, and improve their relationships with others, all of which can reduce cravings for overeating.
2. Drug Consumption
Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (Vyvanse) or a drug for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a drug commonly used to treat moderate to severe eating disorders in adults.
Common side effects include dry mouth and insomnia, but more serious side effects can occur.
Several other types of medication can help reduce the symptoms of eating disorders, including:
- Topiramate (Topamax). Commonly used to control seizures, topiramate has also been found to reduce episodes of overeating. However, there are side effects, such as dizziness, nervousness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating.
- Antidepressants. Antidepressants can reduce overeating by affecting certain brain chemicals associated with mood so that overeating can be controlled.
Treatment at Home
Apart from their doctor’s treatment, patients with eating disorders also need to undergo treatment at home, including:
- Most of your food cravings are emotional, so try to distinguish them from actual hunger. Then, stick to your diet schedule, for example, eating 3 meals a day with a small snack in the afternoon.
- When the desire to eat occurs, you can take a breath, then ask yourself why you should eat now and not later, why this food, why in this moment, and how you feel. Thinking about all these questions will reduce your appetite and stop you from eating.
- Ideally, living a healthy lifestyle will also work. Exercising, getting enough sleep, or joining a community with people who have the same eating disorder can help. This makes you feel better about going through the day.
Prevention
There is no sure way to prevent binge eating disorders. However, health experts recommend cultivating self-love, especially for body shape and weight.
In order not to overeat, you also need to adopt a healthy diet, which means setting the right time and portion of food. Increase self-education to maintain a healthy weight and stay active, move, and do sports.
