Similar to bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, often known as binge eating disorder, is typified by frequent episodes of uncontrollably excessive eating. Other compensatory behaviors exist as well, such as self-induced vomiting. Along with excessive obesity, persons with this condition eventually feel substantial psychological distress, melancholy, and low self-esteem.
Diagnosis
Overeating is another characteristic of binge eating that is frequently observed.
- Eating till your feeling of fullness becomes unpleasant.
- Eating a lot of food even when one is not hungry.
- Feeling humiliated, you eat by yourself.
- After the binge, feeling miserable, guilty, or embarrassed of oneself.
The patient frequently has intense feelings of remorse or humiliation after the binges. An important characteristic that sets binge eating disorder apart from purging anorexia and bulimia nervosa is the lack of elimination behaviors (like vomiting) or limitation.
Psychological problems related to binge eating disorder
The psychological disorders that characterize requirements for binge eating disorder treatment are intimately associated with difficulties in emotional management. Food starts to “anesthetize” unpleasant feelings and help people through difficult times. In addition, individuals with this condition report experiencing intense guilt and pain following their binges, which are associated with a feeling of “loss of control” over the amount of food consumed.
People who struggle with binge eating often try dieting to reduce their weight. These attempts, however, are unsuccessful because there is an underlying psychological issue. Lowering self-esteem and self-efficacy and fostering a sense of dissatisfaction and failure in the subject.
The main problem is, therefore, the close connection between emotion and food. Food becomes a tool to anesthetize negative emotions. Nonetheless, binge behavior also causes unease and feelings of guilt. The patient’s physical and emotional health is harmed by this vicious cycle.
Binge eating disorder symptoms
Compulsive binge eating, which regularly occurs on its own without any genuine physiological hunger, is the leading indicator of binge eating disorder. Furthermore, unlike in bulimia nervosa, vomiting or other compensatory actions do not follow binge eating. As a result, the illness leads to rapid weight gain.
Additional common signs of binge eating disorder are in the psychological domain. Depressive symptoms, low self-efficacy and self-esteem, and a depreciating attitude toward ideas are shared. One may frequently struggle with appropriate emotion management, have trouble identifying their own needs, and have a propensity to give in to the wants of others.
The amount of unsuccessful diet attempts is another behavioral “symptom” frequently helpful in pointing toward a diagnosis of binge eating. Before visiting a professional, patients often attempt many diets in vain because weight gain is thought to be the primary issue.
To deal with obesity with binge eating disorder, it is necessary to intervene on several different levels, the psychological one and the nutritional one, and also take profound action on lifestyle.
Treatment
The binge eating disorder treatment involves a multidisciplinary, integrated approach as this disorder cannot be treated only in its most evident symptomatic manifestation: obesity. A comprehensive approach to treating uncontrollable binge eating disorders must address dietary, medical-internal, and merely psychological factors.
Nutritional re-education
The first pillar of binge eating disorder treatment is nutritional re-education, and the presence of a dietician during assisted meals allows the patient to re-educate himself on a correct eating style and reconstruct functional eating patterns according to the Mediterranean diet and nutritional education principles.
The treatment involves the development of a correct eating style to avoid “junk” foods and to eat regularly without feeling “too hungry.” An essential step in the treatment process is body awareness. Learning to listen to your body and recognize physical hunger from psychological hunger is very important.
Psychological care
A central aspect of the binge eating disorder treatment is the psychological aspect. Patients must learn to separate emotions from food and find new ways to address and manage their emotional world adequately. Treating psychological issues is crucial to the successful management of binge eating disorder.
Psychological treatment involves emotional re-education, which consists of learning to recognize one’s emotions, communicating them, and finally finding healthier alternatives to manage them. Indeed, it is essential to know and acknowledge them to understand which emotions most easily trigger an episode of binge eating.
Psychological treatment, in addition to specific work on the relationship between emotions and food, focuses on the patient’s inner world. Traumas, cognitive distortions, difficulties in managing impulses, and depression are all elements that can distinguish those who suffer from binge eating disorder. The psychological work, therefore, moves along different tracks, centered on the person and their history.
Healthy lifestyle
Assisting individuals in changing their behaviors and adopting a healthier lifestyle is crucial. Reintroducing a healthy lifestyle to the patient is the goal of binge eating disorder treatment since this might lessen internal issues associated with obesity.
It is essential to pay close attention to boredom. Setting up a busy lifestyle that leaves little opportunity for boredom is necessary. Similar to other negative feelings, boredom can cause episodes of binge eating. The third pillar of the treatment plan is taking care of your lifestyle, which is regarded as the first step in treating uncontrollably compulsive eating disorders.