Definition: Binge Eating

Binge eating is a pattern of disordered eating which consists of episodes of uncontrollable overeating. It is sometimes as a symptom of binge eating disorder. During such binges, a person rapidly consumes an excessive amount of food. Most people who have eating binges try to hide this behaviour from others, and often feel ashamed or depressed about their overeating. Eating binges can be followed by so-called compensatory behaviour, acts by which the person tries to compensate for the effects of overeating. Examples of such acts are purging (induced vomiting or laxative abuse), fasting, and heavy exercising.

Although people who do not have any mental disorder may occasionally experience episodes of overeating, frequent binge eating is often a symptom of an eating disorder. Binge eating is a central feature of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. It is also practiced by some people with an eating disorder not otherwise specified or anorexia nervosa.

Binge eating disorder (BED), is a psychiatric disorder in which a subject shows the following symptoms:

Causes

No one knows for sure what causes binge eating disorder. As many as half of all people with binge eating disorder have been depressed in the past. Whether depression causes binge eating disorder or whether binge eating disorder causes depression is not known for sure.

Treatment

People with binge eating disorder, whether or not they want to lose weight, should get help from a health professional including physicians, nutritionists, psychiatrist, psychologists, or clinical social workers for their eating behavior. Even those who are not overweight are usually upset by their binge eating, and treatment can help them. There are several different ways to treat binge eating disorder. Cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches people how to keep track of their eating and change their unhealthy eating habits. It also teaches them how to change the way they act in tough situations. Interpersonal psychotherapy helps people look at their relationships with friends and family and make changes in problem areas. Drug therapy, such as antidepressants, may be helpful for some people.

Researchers are still trying to find the treatment that is the most helpful in controlling binge eating disorder. The methods mentioned here seem to be equally helpful. For people who are overweight, a weight-loss program that also offers treatment for eating disorders might be the best choice.

Emotional cues such as anger, sadness, boredom, and anxiety can trigger binge eating. Impulsive behavior and certain other emotional problems can be more common in people with binge eating disorder. However, many people also claim that binging occurs regardless of their mood.

It is also unclear if dieting and binge eating are related. Some studies show that about half of all people with binge eating disorder had binge episodes before they started to diet.

Researchers also are looking into how brain chemicals and metabolism affect binge eating disorder, although this study is in its early stages.

Furthermore the use of certain drugs, ie marijuana, is well known to cause BED, more popular known as the munchies. Same behaviour is shown and the subject will eat far over the point of normal consumption. This behavior is then transferred to states where no to little THC is present in the system; a sort of conditioning.

* Periodically does not exercise control over consumption of food
* Eats an unusually large amount of food at one time -- more than a normal person would eat in the same amount of time.
* Eats much more quickly during binge episodes than during normal eating episodes
* Eats until physically uncomfortable
* Eats large amounts of food even when they are not really hungry
* Usually eats alone during binge eating episodes, in order to avoid discovery of the disorder
* Often eats alone during periods of normal eating, owing to feelings of embarrassment about food
* Feels disgusted, depressed, or guilty after binge eating

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