Shedding Light on Binge Eating Disorder (BED) (Trigger Warning)
What is BED?
Defined as a serious, potentially life-threatening and treatable eating disorder, Binge Eating Disorder involves the frequent consumption of large amounts of food, often at a rapid pace and to an extent beyond feelings of fullness. People who suffer from BED may feel as if they have lost control during a binge episode, and often experience shame and guilt after a binge, but they do not usually compensate for an episode with an unhealthy mechanism such as inducing vomiting (1).
BED can affect people of all ages, ethnicities, and genders, and evidence has found it to be more common than other eating disorders. During a binge episode, a person may feel like they have to eat a certain amount of food that is much greater than what they want to eat. Some may find it challenging to stop eating even if they wanted to. There are several behavioural, psychological and physical signs of BED which may include:
Behavioural signs:
- Buyings tons of food.
- Eating quickly.
- Eating when not hungry.
- Eating past uncomfortable feelings of fullness.
- Isolating and avoiding social situations.
- Mood swings.
- Being irritable.
- Negatively impacting education or a job position.
- Hoarding food.
- Planning life around binge episodes.
- Eating alone.
Psychological signs:
- Many or most thoughts are about food.
- Feeling like control is lost when food is present or while eating.
- Self-esteem and confidence issues.
- Feeling shame and guilt after a binge.
- Feeling anxiety, particularly while eating with others around.
- Struggling with other mental disorders, like depression or anxiety.
Physical signs:
- Feeling tired.
- Insomnia.
- Bloating.
- Gaining weight.
- Constipation.
- Skin being in a poor state.
- Stomach pain.
- Other stomach issues (2).
Prevalence & Risk Factors
Of the 1.25 million people who suffer from an eating disorder in the UK, approximately 22% of them are diagnosed with binge eating disorder (3). There is no way to identify the exact cause of BED, but you may be more inclined to develop it if:
- You or a relative has a history with eating disorders, drug or alcohol abuse, or depression.
- You struggle with anxiety, low self-esteem, have an obsessive personality or are a perfectionist.
- You have experienced sexual abuse.
- You are worried about being a certain weight and having a certain appearance, with added pressure from society or your job, such as being a model or athlete.
- You have faced criticism for your body weight, shape, or eating habits (4).
Removing the Stigma Around BED
Contrary to the current research and statistics on BED, it’s thought that BED is far more common due to the lack of reporting and asking for help from sufferers as they might feel shameful or embarrassed. In society, binge eating can be looked at as a weakness to extensively overeat, while the reality of binge eating is that it consists of uncomfortable, uncontrollable, stressful episodes that often lead to feelings of disgust, shame, and guilt. BED episodes might occur when experiencing a challenging situation or emotion, such as anger or sadness, and the misconception that it is as avoidable and a sign of greed or gluttony should be put to rest!
The potential weight gain that comes along with BED can contribute to its stigmatisation, being looked down upon by the fat-phobic narrative in society. The negative perceptions regarding weight gain may cause individuals who struggle with BED to keep the disorder to themselves, and thus avoid asking for help from a professional or surrounding support. For this reason, BED should be looked at as an equal to the other dangerous eating disorders by society and not bring sufferers shame, this gives all sufferers the deserved chance to reach out and receive help (5).
Asking for Help
If you or a loved one are struggling with BED, booking an appointment with your GP to help you on your journey to recovery is the most courageous and very first step! Here are the treatment plans that would potentially be offered to you, once you speak to a healthcare professional:
- A guided self-help programme might be offered as a first option to treat your eating disorder, this may include making realistic meal plans and exploring other methods of coping with hard feelings.
- Cognitive behavioural therapy which may be offered in group or individual sessions with a therapist, this may include help with meal planning and challenging negative feelings around your body.
- Medications such as antidepressants might be offered in combination with therapy or self-help treatment (6).
Written by: Lujayn Alatawneh (ANutr)