What Is Binge Eating Disorder

Even though binge eating disorder is not essentially an "official" mental health-related disorder, but it is just as devastating as to those who are suffering from it as those disorders that "made the cut" with the APA. To identify it, mental health providers usually refer to it in the third category of Eating Disorder NOS.

The American Psychiatric Association presently recognizes only three major categories of Eating Disorders: The Anorexia Nervosa, The Bulimia Nervosa, and The Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (for pathological eating behavior not meeting criteria for Anorexia or Bulimia).

To those who are suffering from binge eating disorder, these are just meaningless words. Their lives are under enemy control by food, many times even right to the point where they will consider suicide as their only option to end their suffering. Every day is indeed a battle in their war against over-eating, and yet every day they lose the battle. They devour very large quantities of food at one time to the extend where they feel uncomfortably full. Many people uses food as a way to cope with, or block, feelings they don't want to feel such as anger and fear.

They make use of food as a means of numbing themselves, or trying to fill an emotional void in their lives such as loneliness. Food can also be their way of coping with stress. In order to recover from a binge eating disorder, they must look for professional assistance from a therapist and/or in-patient recovery program that specializes in the treatment of eating disorders.

The Symptoms of the Binge Eating Disorder?

Among those who are suffering from a binge eating disorder, some of the signs and symptoms are quite visible, but most are not. These individuals are more or less always morbidly obese. Weight gain is obvious as is weight loss especially when the individual goes on a near-starvation diet that doesn't work because it's not nutritionally sound. A rise and fall in weight is common among obese sufferers of binge eating disorder.

The other signs and symptoms of this disorder go decisively unseen. In binge eating disorder, sufferers feel totally out of control about their eating behavior. They usually have very low self-esteem about themselves and are disgusted with themselves for not being able to stop eating. A co-existing depressive disorder like Major Depression or Dysthymia, and an anxiety disorder such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder are very general among those who suffer from eating disorders.

Other signs and symptoms of this disorder take account of the loss of sexual interest, hiding or hording food, having the belief that life would be better if only they lost weight, having secretive bad eating habits, and the avoidance of social situations where food will be present. Obese sufferers hardly ever let anyone else see them eat. They're so used to the stigma of being fat, having the beliefs that others will criticize them if they eat just the smallest amount of food.

Are There Any Medical Complications of Binge Eating Disorder?

Absolutely, and in addition, these complications could turn out to be life-threatening if the syndrome is not treated in time. Obesity will tends to cause numerous dangerous medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, liver and kidney problems, heart problems and high cholesterol.

On top to problems caused directly from obesity, those with binge eating disorder often suffer from osteoarthritis mainly due to poor nutrition, shortness of breath, and decreased mobility. All these medical conditions must be treated at the same time during the sufferer's mental health treatment.

Binge eating disorder and the behaviors that go along with it are very hard and stressful on the heart, making it pump faster to insure blood flow. Sooner or later the heart simply gives out, and sufferers from this disorder will die from cardiac arrest.

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