A binge eating disorder is characterized primarily by periods of uncontrolled, impulsive, or continuous eating beyond the point of feeling comfortably full. While there is no purging, there may be sporadic fasts or repetitive diets and feelings of shame or self-hatred after a binge.
Treament for binge eating is often multifacted and involved the identification of emotional triggers, the development of strategies for responding to these triggers and building confidence in one's potential.
People who overeat compulsively may struggle with anxiety, depression, and loneliness, which can contribute to their unhealthy episodes of binge eating. Body weight may vary. Not everyone who is overweight or even obese is a binge eater.
Some of the characteristics of binge eating include:
- Feeling that eating is out of control
- Eating what most people would consider to be a large amount of food
- Eating to the point of feeling uncomfortable
- Eating large amounts of food, even when you are not really hungry
- Being secretive about what is eaten and when
- Being embarrassed by the amount of food eaten
- Feeling disgusted, depressed or guilty about overeating.
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