Signs and Symptoms of Compulsive Eating Disorder

A compulsive eating disorder, also known as binge eating, is the consumption of huge amounts of food and the inability to stop such behavior. Compulsive eating disorder is the most common of the eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia. Health experts believe that compulsive eating disorder may be caused by physical, emotional or sexual abuse, depression and an obsession with dieting and body image (body dysmorphia). Certain signs and symptoms may reveal if someone has a binge eating disorder.

Excessive Food Amounts
Someone with a compulsive eating disorder will eat a large amount of food at one sitting. They will eat quickly, stuffing food into their mouths as fast as possible. Secretly stashing food away is also a sign of compulsive eating. The compulsive eater may collect empty food containers and hoard them away. They eat until they are past being full and may become nauseous. Hunger has nothing to do with the compulsive eater. They eat whether they are hungry or not. Most compulsive eaters are overweight as they do not purge the food they eat, but some binge eaters may have a normal weight.

Depression
A person may experience distress during and after compulsive eating. Bouts of depression may surface and lead to more binge eating. She may feel guilty or disgusted with herself for the lack of self-control when eating. She may want to eat alone because she is ashamed of the way she eats and how much she eats.

Obsession
Someone with a compulsive eating disorder obsesses about food. They will think about food constantly, anticipating the next meal and what will be consumed. This is an unhealthy obsession that the sufferer feels powerless to control. Food dominates their life, and they feel they cannot escape it.

Illness
People with a compulsive eating disorder may develop diseases and complications from their unhealthy lifestyle, including diabetes, gall bladder attacks, high blood pressure, intestinal problems, heart disease, panic attacks and sleep apnea. If you or someone you know suffers from a compulsive eating disorder, seek out medical help. A physician can prescribe medications, and there are excellent organizations available for therapeutic modalities, including OA (Overeaters Anonymous).

What Are the Treatments for Compulsive Eating Disorder?

Compulsive overeating disorders are also called binge eating disorders. Compulsive overeating disorders affect two percent of all American adults. Fortunately, there are many ways to heal this eating disorder, including therapy, group support and medical treatment. A person in treatment for overeating needs a lot of support throughout his or her recovery process.

Identification
Compulsive eating disorders involve frequent occasions of uncontrollable, excessive eating, called binges. A binge eating episode usually lasts about two hours, but some people binge periodically throughout the day. Binge eaters consume food even when they're not hungry and continue to eat long after they are full. They feel extremely upset or distressed during or after their binge sessions but do not attempt to vomit, fast or over-exercise afterward (unlike people with the eating disorder bulimia).

Significance
According to the National Institutes of Health, two percent of U.S. adults have compulsive eating disorder---making compulsive overeating more common than the eating disorders anorexia and bulimia. Compulsive eating disorders also affect a significant number of men (unlike anorexia and bulimia). Most people don't seek help for compulsive overeating until the weight gain causes health problems.

Prevention/Solution
There are many natural ways to treat compulsive eating disorders. Eat breakfast every morning to avoid overeating later in the day. Remove foods that tempt you to overeat from your house. Exercise and stress management techniques are also helpful. In addition to all these things, however, it is important to seek professional treatment. Health professionals who provide treatment for compulsive eating disorders include therapists, psychiatrists, nutritionists and obesity specialists. The goal of treatment is to reduce compulsive overeating and binge episodes. If obesity endangers your health, weight loss might be another goal. Dieting can contribute to binge eating, so you should see a treatment team to help monitor your weight loss efforts.

Types
Therapy is one treatment option for compulsive overeaters. It can teach you how to fight the compulsion to overeat, develop healthier habits, monitor your eating and help you gain stress management skills. You may also find joining a support group helpful. Group therapy and support group sessions are led by trained health professionals. They provide the opportunity to reduce any feelings of loneliness or stigma you may have. Medications like antidepressants and appetite suppressants are another treatment option for compulsive eating disorders.

Warning
If someone you care about has a compulsive overeating disorder, it is important to keep in mind that you cannot force him or her to stop overeating. The cause of this eating disorder is often an attempt to escape from painful feelings that are certain to arise during the recovery process. Ongoing support from multiple sources is essential for your loved one to recover fully.