Binge Eating Disorder Signs
Many people are aware of eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. However, it might come as a surprise to some that binge eating disorder wasn’t officially recognized as a formal diagnosis until 2013, yet it is the most common eating disorder in the United States, affecting over 2.8 million people.
Binge eating disorder often begins when a person is in their late teens or early twenties. During bingeing sessions, people may overeat and lose control over the amount of food they end up consuming. If you think that you or someone you love might be suffering from binge eating disorder, here are some of the warning signs to look out for:
- Regularly eating more food in one sitting than other people would usually eat.
- Stealing, hiding, and hoarding food or spending exorbitant amounts of money on food
- Unexpected changes in your weight and periods of overeating followed by periods of strict dieting
- Feeling out of control or unable to stop yourself from eating excessive amounts of food
- Having bingeing sessions multiple times a month
- Eating large quantities of food makes you feel ill.
- Bingeing sessions followed by negative emotions like guilt and shame
- Eating excessive amounts of food even when you don’t feel hungry or have already had enough food before
- Not wanting to eat food in front of other people as a result of shame, embarrassment, or fear of judgment
- Low self-esteem and self-harming tendencies
The sooner binge eating disorder is diagnosed, the sooner we can get started on treatment. Aside from a number of mental health implications, if endured for too long, binge eating can result in serious health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and arthritis.
Matthew A. Webster, MA, MS, ED.D, LPC
Martin Counseling, PLLC in Katy, TX.
Dr. Matt Webster is a professional educator, nutritionist, and therapist located in the Houston, Texas area. He specializes in couples therapy, sexuality, and maladaptive eating patterns with a focus on the role of nutrition. More About Matt >>
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