In the third blog of our series highlighting the different types of eating disorders, we are going to explore Binge Eating Disorder (BED).
In this article, we look at the characteristics and symptoms, the treatments available, and how you can support a loved one dealing with BED.
Please note that some of the content discussed in this blog may be triggering.
According to Action Mental Health, around one in fifty people experience Binge Eating Disorder. And even more worryingly, it affects three times more people than those suffering from Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia combined. Perhaps the saddest statistic of all – one in three people who live with Binge Eating Disorder consider taking their own life, and 40% of those are men.
Binge Eating Disorder, or BED, is a mental illness and eating disorder where those suffering will consume large quantities of food and may feel like they cannot control what they are doing. As mentioned above, evidence suggests that Binge Eating Disorder is one of the more common eating disorders and can affect people of any age, background, or ethnicity. BED differs from bulimia in the sense that people don’t usually follow their binge by getting rid of the food, through vomiting, for example.
An important thing to remember about BED is that the person isn’t overindulging. People may binge for several reasons. For example, overwhelming or difficult feelings such as feeling down, angry, bored, anxious, happy, excited, or bored. As well as sudden urges or feelings, binge eating can also be the result of planning or a ritual, people may find solace in the routine of a binge. It’s thought that those suffering from BED use binge eating as a tool to manage their feelings or numb emotions.
Often, the binge eating can cause stress and upset, leading to feelings of shame and guilt. In addition, the person may also find it extremely difficult to stop eating even if they want to.
People struggling with BED may display a number of characteristics, which can include eating more quickly than usual, eating until they feel uncomfortably full, eating large amounts of food when they are not physically hungry, eating alone through embarrassment at the amount being eaten, and feelings of disgust, shame or guilt throughout or post-binge. A person who experiences at least one of these distressing binge eating episodes a week for at least three months is likely to be diagnosed with BED.
The one key symptom of having BED is eating a lot of food in a short time and not being able to stop yourself when full.
There are also some signs to look out for in others:
If you believe that you may have BED, you should arrange an appointment with your GP as soon as possible. They will want to talk to you about your eating habits, and how you feel, and they will also do some general physical health observations. If your GP thinks that you may have an eating disorder, they will refer you to a specialist to support you.
We know how difficult it can be to admit that you have a problem and need help so we would advise bringing a friend, family or loved one along to your appointment.
People recover from BED every day with the right support and treatment – but it does take time.
The main treatments for BED tend to be guided self-help programmes or a type of talking therapy called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
Seeing a friend, family member or loved one suffer from an eating disorder can be extremely difficult and leave you feeling hopeless but there are ways to offer your help and support.
Firstly, communication is key – you could try to talk to them about how they feel and encourage them to seek help. You should try to avoid putting too much pressure on them or being overly critical, as this could easily make things worse.
Your loved one may be feeling isolated and need a shoulder to cry on or a helping hand. It may be worth offering to go to a GP appointment with them.
Possibly most importantly, you can support your loved one to build their confidence back up – tell them how much you appreciate them, how strong they are and how happy you are to support them through recovery. Knowing you have a solid support network behind you can be the motivation to get better.
You can read more about the subtle signs and symptoms of eating disorders in our article here.
For more information on supporting someone with an eating disorder, BEAT, an eating disorder charity, has further advice on their website.
Other organisations that offer support to individuals with bulimia and their family and friends include Talk ED, and Mind.
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https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/binge-eating/overview/
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/mental-health/binge-eating-disorder/
Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash.
