Binge Eating Disorder: Signs, Symptoms & Treatment
Some people can overeat from time to time, particularly during special occasions or celebrations. However, binge eating disorder (BED) is very different from overeating.
If you have BED, it feels like the disorder is in control. It’s like you’re unable to stop consuming food despite the effects it has on your emotional, mental, and physical health. Worse, when you’re done, you often feel intense shame and guilt.
The most common eating disorder in the United States, BED causes people to engage in chronic episodes of bingeing on food. While this disorder affects both men and women, studies show that women are twice as likely to struggle with BED as men.
As serious (and potentially dangerous) as BED is, it’s also a treatable condition. Treatment involves a combination of talk therapy, lifestyle adjustments, and more. If you’re struggling with BED, reach out to Center for Discovery to learn more about our effective eating disorder treatment programs.
What Is Binge Eating Disorder?
Binge eating disorder, or BED, is an eating disorder that involves consuming larger amounts of food than usual and feeling out of control while doing so. Although the symptoms of BED have been known since the 1950s, BED wasn’t formally recognized as an eating disorder on its own until 2013.
As we said, BED is very different from overeating. People with BED don’t feel in control of themselves when they’re having an episode. Emotionally, intense feelings of shame often accompany binges, and there can be overwhelming feelings of compulsion when eating as well. BED can also involve serious issues with self-image.
BED doesn’t discriminate – like other eating disorders, BED can affect anyone of any age or gender.
How Is Binge Eating Disorder Different from Bulimia?
Both bulimia nervosa and BED can involve bingeing on food. The main difference between BED and bulimia is that BED does not involve purging. People struggling with bulimia often use laxatives, force themselves to vomit, or exercise compulsively after eating.
That said, BED does have some behaviors in common with bulimia. One of the most common symptoms is restrictive dieting, where a person will strongly restrict the food they eat after a period of bingeing. This often results in a vicious cycle of restricting diet and bingeing.
What Causes Binge Eating Disorder?
The root causes of BED aren’t fully understood yet. Multiple complex factors can cause BED to develop. These factors can include:
Genetics
If you have a close relative with BED or have a family history of it, you may be much more likely to develop this eating disorder. Additionally, some researchers think there may be a connection between this disorder and sensitivity to dopamine, a neurotransmitter used in the body’s reward system.
Past Trauma
BED can have roots in past trauma. The loss of a loved one, traumatic events, bullying as a child, and other forms of trauma can contribute to BED and other eating disorders.
Gender
While BED can affect anybody, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) cites studies showing it is more common in women than men. While the reason for this isn’t known for certain, it may involve many factors, including the ones listed here.
Environmental Factors
Multiple environmental factors contribute to BED. Cultural standards of beauty, body size and weight often cause intense anxiety, which can drive BED. Also, learned behaviors (like having parents who used food as a way to comfort or reward) can play a role in BED.
Other Disorders
Some studies appear to show that BED occurs with other mental disorders, including:
- Anxiety disorders
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Substance abuse
How Common is Binge Eating Disorder?
BED is the most common eating disorder in the United States. According to the NIH, around 1.25% of women have BED; for men, the percentage is around 0.42%. BED also affects around 1.6% of teens aged 13 to 16. In general, BED tends to occur around 25 years old.
One thing to remember is that many more people have episodes of binge eating or what the NIH calls “out-of-control eating.” However, these episodes occur less frequently than they do with BED.
