What is Binge Eating?
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People with Binge Eating Disorder deal with weekly episodes of uncontrollable overeating. They feel like they can’t stop after they start eating and become emotionally detached or numb during a binge. Binges only end when people are painfully full or when someone else interrupts them. Additionally, binge eating is very stressful for most people. They feel embarrassed and regretful and go to great lengths to hide their eating from others. Although this may sound like Bulimia Nervosa, people with Binge Eating Disorder do not use unhealthy methods to avoid gaining weight afterwards.
The disorder most commonly first appears in people in their late teenage years and early twenties. This is the age when people are moving out of the home, going to college, and encountering the adult challenges. Combining these emotional stresses with a genetic predisposition and a history of body-shaming in childhood sets the stage for Binge Eating Disorder. Fortunately for these people, Binge Eating Disorder has reliably high rates of improvement after treatment. Also, the risk of developing other eating disorders is relatively low.
Signs that someone has Binge Eating Disorder include planning for a binge like buying huge amounts of food just for themselves and then isolating themselves from others. Roommates or partners may suddenly find garbage cans full of empty food containers without any explanation. These people may eat relatively average amounts of food or even diet when around others while doing most of their eating in secret.