[VIAGRA-VIAGRA]

People sometimes binge because of boredom or watching too much TV. My suggestion, keep yourself busy. Even when you're depressed and looking for comfort food, just by preoccupying your mind with something else other than food will help break your binging habit.

[Brainpole]

Some people say they are addicted to food, but some don't know that it maybe a binge eating disorder. It is an abnormal eating pattern in which a person eat a lot more food in a limited time than most people normally would consume. We all eat too much sometimes but the people with this type of eating disorder have abnormal eating pattern that happens between 1-2 hours.

Binge eaters exhibit many of the following behaviors:

• They eat abnormally large amounts of food at one sitting, often consuming 3,000-10,000 calories in a short period.
• They gobble their food, eating much faster than usual.
• During a binge, they feel out of control and unable to stop eating, even though they may want to.
• Despite feeling full or even painfully uncomfortable, they continue to eat.
• Binge eaters tend to diet constantly but never lose weight.

People at higher risk of developing binge-eating disorder share certain characteristics that includes:

• Frequent dieting. People who go on rigorous diets or who frequently gain and lose large amounts of weight (weight cycling) are more likely to become binge eaters.
• Impulsiveness. Binge eaters, like bulimics, have problems with impulse control.
• low self-worth and negative self-talk. This occurs almost universally among people with all types of eating disorders.
• Difficulty managing anger and appropriately expressing feelings.
• Preoccupation with body image and weight.
• Sexual abuse. Some, but by no means all, people with binge eating disorder report being sexually abused as children. This is an area of ongoing research.
• Depression. It is not clear whether depression causes binge eating or if binge eating causes depression, but the two are often found together.

[gundas]

I agree that some people who are stressed really have abnormal eating patterns because they find comfort to eating a lot. And I think that once a person observes that she/he may have this eating disorder, he/she should consult the doctor for professional help. If it is stress or depression related, it has to be dealt with right away because they could be doing their health more harm.

[VIAGRA-VIAGRA]

Binge eating can seriously lead to obesity which means that there is higher risk for obesity related diseases like type II diabetes, hypertension, heart problems, and joint pains. So it's really best to consult the doctor to get help in fighting this eating disorder.

[Brainpole]

The problem is some binge eaters don't want to admit that they have the disorder. Behaviors such as secretive eating, constant dieting without losing weight, obsessive concern about weight, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse are all clues, but none of these signs are conclusive according to studies. A person may complain about symptoms related to obesity, such as fatigue and shortness of breath, or mention unsuccessful dieting, but again, these signs are not definitive.

[Karlmarks]

Yeah that really is a problem. People with eating behavior have to accept that they have that condition and that their body is suffering from the effects otherwise, they will not recover from it. I think that psychological therapy maybe needed to address this problem so the binge-eater better understand why they are doing so. They also need psychotherapy to change their behavior and treat emotional and psychological problems that cause it.

[Brainpole]

Since it is difficult to detect because binge-eater don't admit that they have the disorder, it is also difficult to prevent. Here are some of the preventive strategies that needs to be observed to avoid binge eating disorder:

• Parent should not obsess about their weight, appearance, and diet in front of their children.
• Do not tease people about their body shapes or compare them to others.
• Make it clear that family members are loved and accepted as they are.
• Try to eat meals together as a family whenever possible; avoid eating alone.
• Avoid using food for comfort in times of stress.
• Monitoring negative self-talk; practice positive self-talk.
• Spend time doing something enjoyable every day
• Stay busy, but not overly busy
• Be alert to signs of low self-worth, anxiety, depression, and drug or alcohol abuse and seek help as soon as these signs appear.

[VIAGRA-VIAGRA]

Great post mikaela! I'm sure that many of our members and readers are going to learn a lot on this. It's great to know a lot about this through your post because some of us indeed don't know that binge-eating disorder does exist. Some people might just think that they are addicted to food or just love eating and not know that they have a psychological condition that needs to professional attention.

[Karlmarks]

That's right. It is important to identify and accept that you have a condition otherwise it will cause more health problems. I should say that a person with any eating disorder should not be afraid to seek psychological help. It doesn't mean you're crazy if you do so. It actually means you are strong enough to face the problem and deal with it soon.

[gundas]

You're right kathy! Binge-eaters should accept that some of the reasons they suffer from this disorder is psychological and needs professional help to get it out of them. I'm also glad that you have shared these information with us mikaela because a normal person can develop this disorder too if they are not careful.

[Brainpole]

You're all welcome! I'm glad that I can provide you great and helpful information. We all can acquire this eating disorder if we don't care for ourselves more. It is also important that we accept that there is more to life than just losing weight and we should love ourselves more all the time no matter what people think of us. Just choose to eat right and live a healthy lifestyle for a better well being.

[Karlmarks]

Very well said mikaela. I always ask myself the reason why I eat. Is for pleasure or just feeding my hunger? And most of the time I tell myself to eat because I am hungry, and when I eat enough, I stop. That is why I have managed to maintain my weight because I can feed my hunger with a little amount of food. That is also how I manage to stay away from craving foods that I don't need

[gundas]

That is a good tip kathy! Talking to yourself to identify how much you need to eat is a good way to know the reason why you eat. And it's definitely a good way to keep away from junk foods without feeling bad that you did avoid it