by Dr. Deborah Bauers

Created on: December 08, 2009   Last Updated: June 25, 2010

If you've ever pushed back from the dinner table with an uncomfortable feeling around the middle, you know what it's like to binge.  But for some, binge eating is more than just an infrequent overindulgence. Instead, it  is a compensatory behavior caused by the inability to healthfully deal with stress or painful emotions. If you regularly overeat and can't seem to stop, you may be suffering with a compulsion called

binge eating disorder . Binge eaters usually need professional treatment in order to stop their destuctive cycles of overeating.  

Because binge eating is the most recent eating disorder to be identified, its root causes are still uncertain. There are, however, some significant common denominators found in the eating patterns of those who suffer with this disorder.  Binge eaters usually begin with just occasional binges. These early episodes are often prompted by a wide range of negative affect including disappointment, sadness, and even boredom.  As binge eaters learn to symbolically stuff their painful emotions, food becomes a temporary "fix" for pervasive feelings of low self-esteem, powerlessness, and discontentment with their bodies.

The underlying causes of binging are probably much like those of anorexia and bulimia.  Family dynamics that are characterized by authoritarian parenting styles, perfectionism, and performance-based approval tend to be prevalent dynamics in many eating disorders. Binge eating can be a reaction to stress. It may also be a coping mechanism used by victims of trauma and abuse.

Decisions about what to eat, when to eat it, and how much to eat, can create a false sense of empowerment for those with eating disorders.  Choosing to binge becomes a compensatory behavior for the feelings of helplessness that individuals who abuse food frequently feel. Continuing to binge can easily become a stronghold that is difficult to break.

Left untreated, an individual with a binging disorder is subject to obesity and a plethora of physical ailments that impact the heart and lungs.  Excessive weight gain intensifies the already existing feelings of powerlessness that an individual feels as the disorder continues to spin out of control.

Treating a binge eating disorder may involve psychotherapy, medical intervention, and nutritional oversight.  The patient should be attended by a physician who can diagnose and treat potential health issues associated with prolonged binging.  A doctor can also identify whether there are symptoms of clinical depression or anxiety and treat them with appropriate medications. A psychotherapist can use cognitive therapy to help the sufferer identify false belief systems that have reinforced the need to abuse food. Journaling is often used as a constructive tool in psychotherapy to help record insights into the role that damaged emotions play in motivating clients to binge. Behavioral strategies can be helpful in managing symptoms through change.

Binge eating disorder is a disease.  The longer it is allowed to run its course, the more difficult it is to treat.  Success in treatment and recovery depends upon timely detection and intervention. Together, a team of professionals can provide education and treatment to help a binge eater focus on breaking the cycle of food abuse and returning to heath.

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