Binge eating disorder (B.E.D.) differs from anorexia in that a person consumes abnormally large amounts of food in a single sitting. It can be a symptom of bulimia since the person will often eat large quantities of food before vomiting. At first, the signs of binge eating can go unnoticed for several months. However, it may soon become apparent that a person needs to visit a binge eating disorder treatment center.
A person who has a binge eating disorder has an uncontrollable desire to eat even when they are not hungry. Doing so may cause them to spend an excessive amount of time and money on food than they would otherwise turn down. Let’s take a look below at common signs of binge eating so that you know what to look for.
What Are the Signs of Binge Eating?
There are numerous signs that someone has a binge eating disorder, including:
Recurring Episodes of Binge Eating
Almost everybody experiences binge eating sooner or later. They may gorge themselves at a restaurant or eat a whole bag of potato chips while watching a movie. The occasional binge is harmless. However, a person who has an addiction to food or has a co-occurring disorder may binge several times per week.
Each episode may include one or more of the following:
- Eating large amounts of food faster than usual
- Consuming enough food to start feeling discomfort
- Eating large amounts of food when there is no appetite
- Dining alone due to embarrassment over the problem
- Feeling guilty, depressed, or disgusted after each binge
Recurring episodes of binge eating occur when a person experiences a loss of control over eating during each episode. As time goes by, the episodes occur more frequently. A person may get to the point where they are binge eating up to one or more times per day.
An Overt Obsession with Food
Like any other addiction, a person who has a binge eating disorder will obsess over food throughout each day. Even when they are not eating, they are thinking about food. They may carry food with them everywhere they go and hide it in places that they frequent.
A person who has a disorder may also obsess about their disorder. They may have a low self-image or feel guilty about their weight. Food is always on their mind whether they are going through a craving or bad feelings about what they just ate. They may need to seek help from an eating disorder treatment program.
Fluctuations in Weight
One of the clearest signs of binge eating is a sudden loss or gain in weight. How much a person gains or loses depends on several factors such as the type of food they are eating, genetics, how often they binge, and whether they have another disorder. In most cases, a person who has a binge eating disorder will gain several pounds in a short period.
If the disorder is paired with bulimia nervosa, then a person’s weight may fluctuate drastically over several weeks. The reason for this is that they consume large amounts of food and then follow up by vomiting the food they just ate. Bulimia is a severe health condition that may require outpatient eating disorder treatment.
Help for Binge Eating Disorder
If you would like to learn more about the signs of binge eating, then now is the time to get help. A binge eating disorder treatment center has the facilities, staff, and programs available to help those who need to overcome their addiction to food. To find out more about the options available, contact a treatment center near you.