BINGE EATING DISORDER

WHAT IS BINGE EATING DISORDER?

Binge eating disorder is when a person consumes almost 2-3 times the amount of food they would normally consume in just a few hours. Individuals eat completely uncontrollably until it hurts. In this eating disorder, which is beyond the person's control, even if the person wants to stop themselves during an attack, they cannot. People with this disorder usually hide their overeating from their environment. Because they feel great shame and regret after the attacks. People with this disorder, which is often associated with depression, resort to eating more to hide the shame they feel. Thus, they find themselves in a vicious circle that they cannot get out of. Most people do not realize that they have this condition, so they do not realize that there is a condition that needs to be treated. 

SYMPTOMS OF BINGE EATING DISORDER 

- Eating food much faster than the normal rate of eating, by stuffing it into one's mouth.
- No matter how much they eat, they do not feel full, the feeling of satiety disappears.
- Not being able to stop eating during the attack. 
- Feeling ashamed and embarrassed after the attack has passed.
- Because of the shame they feel about their eating attacks, they isolate themselves and eat in secret from their surroundings.
- After the attack, the person does not make any effort to take back the food they have eaten. 

Binge eating disorder is often confused with other eating disorders. However, there are important points that distinguish binge eating disorder from other eating disorders. People with this disorder do not try to induce vomiting or exercise excessively after an episode. In addition, this disease can be seen not only in people with obesity, as expected, but also in people of normal weight. However, if left untreated, it can lead to excessive and uncontrolled weight gain, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, sleep problems and even cognitive problems. 

 FACTORS THAT CAN CAUSE BINGE EATING DISORDER 

GENETICS: In some patients, it can be observed that this condition is hereditary. 

DIET: Some diets that the person follows for the purpose of losing weight by setting excessive rules and limits for himself/herself may cause binge eating disorder. 

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS: Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety disorders. 

GENDER: For biological reasons, binge eating disorder is more common in women than in men. 

TREATMENT METHODS

Like other eating disorders, this is a treatable illness. Treatment should be started quickly after diagnosis. In order to be diagnosed, binge eating episodes must occur at least once a week for 3 months. During this period, the medications prescribed by the psychiatrist should be used regularly and the underlying causes of the illness should be investigated with the help of a psychologist. The first aim of treatment is to control the attacks and then to reduce and eliminate them in the long term. In addition, it should be investigated what may trigger the attacks and this should be addressed. After the psychological part of the treatment is over, it is necessary to establish a diet and a healthy lifestyle.