BINGE EATING DISORDER

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is not simply overeating. Most obese individuals do not have BED, and individuals with BED may be of normal weight, overweight or obese.

If you "binge," you may find yourself taking in signifcantly larger amounts of food than others would in one period of time (usually defined as two hours). Once you start eating, you continue, often eating very quickly, until you are uncomfortably, or even painfully full.

However, you do not use strategies to get rid of the food as in bulimia. In between binges you may try to diet intensely to make up for the quantity of food taken in during the binges. Inspite of this, you may not find yourself losing weight.

The longer it has gone on, the harder it has become to control. You may find yourself hoarding food. The amount of food you take in also may have increased over time. You may find yourself bingeing even when you are not hungry, and eating may also have become a way to manage feelings such as stress, depression, or anxiety. You may also find yourself skipping school, missing work, or avoiding relationships in order to binge.

Over time, you may find yourself feeling embarrassed, disgusted, depressed, or guilty after binges. Since you are more likely to binge in private, others may not know how out of control your eating has become.

Other possible Signs or Symptoms:

Eating an extreme amount of food in a short period of time, often rapidly without tasting or enjoying it

Feeling unable to control the amount of food or how often a binge occurs, feeling unable to stop

Eating until uncomfortably full or in pain

Eating a lot of food, even when not hungry

Eating secretly

Eating alone to avoid the embarassment of having others see the quantity of food taken in

Avoiding social occasions that involve food

Hoarding food

Frequent weight changes

Using bingeing to manage emotions such as depression or anxiety

Possible medical complications:

Obesity

Diabetes

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Physical immobility

Gallbladder disease