Frequently Asked Questions About Compulsive Eating and Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
If you have questions, please feel free to email or call Bodywise. We will be happy to make suggestions about what might be helpful for you.
How do I know if I am a compulsive eater or have BED?
There are a variety of symptoms, but the bottom line is feeling overall out of control in your relationship to food. A person may try to change their eating behavior, but will ultimately return to old patterns. Some people may have periods of discreet bingeing (i.e. consuming large quantities of food in a short time), they may overeat at mealtimes, or they may "graze," never really finishing a meal. Their weight may go up over time, remain stable, or they may even have periods of weight loss, usually followed by regaining the weight over time. Ultimately, the person feels unable to change their eating patterns permanently.
Why can't I stop this behavior? Isn't it just a question of willpower?
It takes extraordinary willpower to keep trying to go on diets or make changes to eating patterns. If willpower were the only issue, this problem would have been solved long ago!
The reasons behind compulsive eating are always complex, and are typically about both past and present stressors. Often, people have a long history of using food to meet needs other than hunger, including distraction, soothing and companionship. To change eating habits permanently, these needs must be met in new ways. Otherwise, the person will revert back to compulsive eating as soon as a stressor occurs.
Who is at risk for developing compulsive eating or BED?
Many factors are at play in the development of CE/BED, and the combination is unique to each person. A partial list includes:
- History of being overweight.
- Family history of eating disorders, depression, alcoholism, or OCD
- Intense family or personal concern with weight and appearance
- Difficulty identifying and/or expressing feelings
- Family atmosphere that limited emotional expression in significant ways
- Significant emotional trauma or loss
- Low self-esteem
- Tendency to be a “people pleaser,” too often putting others' needs before one's own
- Difficulty setting limits with others