Hopscotch & Harmony
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Mission, Vision, Values
    • What to Expect
    • How We Are Doing
  • Our Team
  • Services
    • Mental Health Services >
      • Child & Adolescent Counselling
      • Adult Counselling
      • Online Therapy
      • Study Without Stress Program: Yr 10-12
    • Assessment Clinic >
      • Autism Assessments
      • Cognitive Assessments
      • Educational Assessments
    • Dietetics & Nutrition >
      • Teen & Adult Dietetic & Nutrition Clinic
      • Paediatric Dietetics & Nutrition
      • Feeding Clinic
    • Organisational Wellness
  • Parenting Course - online
  • Join our team!
    • Psychologist
    • Intern Provisional Psychologist Program
    • Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist, Dietitian Positions
  • Blog
  • Book!
    • Contact

Binge Eating: What is it and when is it a problem?

9/11/2016

 
Written by Tamika Doyle, Psychologist
Picture
The word “binge” seems to have become popular in the media and in general conversation. What started as a word to describe excessive drinking or eating has now even evolved to include binge watching of TV programs or films or engaging in any activity too much.

While the term “bingeing” is often used casually to refer to indulging excessively in something enjoyable, people who engage in binge eating on a regular basis or to an extreme level find this experience to be far from pleasant.

So what exactly is binge eating, and how do we know if it is becoming a problem?

A binge eating episode involves:

    Eating a very large amount of food within a short period of time (e.g. within 2 hours) AND
    A sense of loss of control while eating (e.g. feeling unable to stop yourself)

Feeling out of control while eating a large amount distinguishes a binge from general overeating. For example, having that second or third helping at a special dinner or eating a lot of sweets and snacks during a movie may be considered a large amount of food eaten in a short period of time, but if you knew you could stop during that process and the eating didn’t feel uncontrollable, these examples wouldn’t be considered binge eating.

For those who experience binge eating regularly, eating such large amounts in an uncontrollable way evokes strong feelings of guilt and shame and binges are often highly distressing. This typically leads to secrecy and attempts to hide evidence of binge eating.

Bingeing may be used to cope with strong emotions such as anxiety or depression or may be a direct response to severe dieting or restrictive eating. If you or someone you know is engaging in binge eating at least once per week or is extremely distressed by their behaviour, seeking support and professional advice is recommended.

Other signs that someone may be experiencing binge eating include:


  • Feeling bloated or constipated
  • Feeling tired and not sleeping well
  • Eating alone or in private, avoiding meals with others
  • Using food as a source of comfort
  • Secretive behaviour regarding food, e.g. hiding wrappers or food, food “disappearing” from pantry or fridge, saying that they have already eaten
  • Low self-esteem and body dissatisfaction
  • Preoccupation with eating, food, body shape and weight

There may also be signs of vomiting or other compensatory behaviours, e.g. swollen cheeks/jaw, going to the bathroom after meals, excessive exercising, using diet pills or laxatives etc., but this is not always the case. Binge eating can occur in all eating disorders and may or may not be followed by compensatory behaviours.

Despite the term being used casually, binge eating is a serious issue often associated with other eating disorder symptoms or psychological issues, such as anxiety or depression.

There are a number of medical complications that can be associated with frequent or severe binge eating, such as digestive issues, high blood pressure or cholesterol, kidney problems and osteoarthritis.

Risks associated with compensatory behaviours following a binge also include damage to teeth and digestive organs, disruption to menstrual cycle, and heart complications, such as irregular or slow heartbeat which can lead to heightened risk of heart failure.

For further information on binge eating and eating disorders, please visit:
www.nedc.com.au or www.eatingdisorders.org.au

Recovery from binge eating and eating disorders is possible. There are several effective treatments available to overcome binge eating. It may feel difficult to share your experiences with a health professional, but doing so is the first step towards getting support and feeling better.
​
If you are concerned that you or someone in your family is demonstrating some of the warning signs of an eating disorder, make an appointment with a psychologist experienced in eating disorders. Please call 03 9741 5222 to make an appointment at Hopscotch & Harmony to discuss any concerns and get support.

​About the author:
Picture
Tamika Doyle is a Hopscotch & Harmony psychologist skilled in working with teens and adults presenting with body image concerns, low self-esteem and eating disorders. She aims to empower her clients to make positive changes in their lives. Tamika provide evidence based treatment for anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. Read more about Tamika ​

Comments are closed.
    Request an appointment!

    Categories

    All
    Abby Elder
    Adolescence
    Alayne Cummins
    Alyce Galea
    Anger
    Anxiety
    App Recommendation
    Assertiveness
    Attachment
    Autism
    Body Image
    Body Intelligence
    Body Scan
    Book Recommendation
    Brain Development
    Breathing
    Bullying
    Burnout
    Child Development
    Children
    Child Safety
    Chronic Pain
    Cognitive Assessment
    Communication
    Cyberbullying
    Deep Pressure
    Dietetics
    Discipline
    Eating Disorders
    Education
    Emotion Regulation
    Endometriosis
    Fathers
    Food
    Gaming
    Gratitude
    Grief And Loss
    Grit
    Growth Mindset
    Healthy Attachment
    Hilary Sanders
    Home Education
    Infant Mental Health
    Inspirational Quotes
    LGBTIQA+
    Lynnette Dickinson
    Medicare
    Mental-imagery
    Mindfulness
    Motivation
    Music
    Nathan Gilbert
    Negative
    New-years-resolution
    Nighttime-fears
    Nutrition
    Obsessive-compulsive-disorder
    Occupational Therapy
    Online Counselling
    Parenting
    Play Therapy
    Relationship
    Relaxation
    Resilience
    Self-belief
    Self-care
    Self-esteem
    Self-harm
    Sensory Processing
    Separation Anxiety
    Sex Education
    Shame
    Sibling Rivalry
    Social Media
    Social Skills
    Sport
    Stress
    Suicide
    Tamsyn White
    Technology
    Telehealth
    Therapy Ideas
    Tim Walker
    Transgender
    Video Games

    RSS Feed

our services


Adult Counselling
Paediatric Counselling
Autism Assessments
​
Cognitive assessments
Parenting Support​
Dietetics & Nutrition

Our practice values


Belonging
Courage

Integrity

contact us


Hopscotch & Harmony
​Child, Teen and Adult Psychology
1/167-179 Shaws Rd
Werribee 3030
​Ph: 97415222
92 Roslyn Rd
Belmont 3216
​Ph: 52416462
Fax: 03 8669 4076
© ​2022 Hopscotch and Harmony Pty Ltd
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Mission, Vision, Values
    • What to Expect
    • How We Are Doing
  • Our Team
  • Services
    • Mental Health Services >
      • Child & Adolescent Counselling
      • Adult Counselling
      • Online Therapy
      • Study Without Stress Program: Yr 10-12
    • Assessment Clinic >
      • Autism Assessments
      • Cognitive Assessments
      • Educational Assessments
    • Dietetics & Nutrition >
      • Teen & Adult Dietetic & Nutrition Clinic
      • Paediatric Dietetics & Nutrition
      • Feeding Clinic
    • Organisational Wellness
  • Parenting Course - online
  • Join our team!
    • Psychologist
    • Intern Provisional Psychologist Program
    • Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist, Dietitian Positions
  • Blog
  • Book!
    • Contact