What is Binge Eating Disorder?

In a few days there will be National Lilac Bow Day: March 15th will be the day dedicated to raising awareness about eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia and binge eating disorder.

If some of these pathologies are better known today, thanks to the dissemination work of some specialized bodies, others remain less studied and, therefore, more susceptible to judgement, misunderstanding and stigma.

Among them, BED: what isbinge eating disorder? Without any desire to write scientific literature, but by citing official medical sources, let's explain what it is, how to recognize being affected and who to turn to for support.

How to recognize binge eating disorder

It is often a dynamic that is triggered during adolescence, although there are statistically less likely cases of the problem starting already in childhood or adulthood, sometimes following traumatic episodes or stressful periods.

Obviously, rare episodes of excessive eating are not necessarily signs of the disorder: eating a lot one evening at dinner with friends, not knowing how to "control" oneself at the table during a festive period, etc... are all normal, healthy, carefree behaviors.

BED, on the other hand, is characterized by a frequency of at least twice a week of binge eating, for several months, done in total solitude and with the feeling of lack of control. The person suffering from binge eating disorder cannot stop eating in those moments, a sort of behavioral blackout, which is followed by sense of shame and physical discomfort, nausea, fear, sadness.

Binge eating disorder, food as an addiction in the brain

But why is an apparently "healthy" individual seized by the uncontrolled desire to eat beyond the sense of satiety, often to the point of feeling physically and emotionally exhausted?

It is a mechanism similar to that of more “common” addictions, such as alcohol or gambling. Food becomes an immediate consolation, since the act of "eating" releases certain feel-good hormones in the brain, such as dopamine.

Let us remember that eating disorders are real psycho-physical pathologies. Therefore, the causes must always be sought and investigated by professionals, psychological doctors and dieticians as a team, who can support the patient from multiple points of view. We will therefore need a therapy that can provide support to both the emotions and the body, to be effective.

Asking for help is the first step: to this link there are various associations in all the regions of Italy, which participate in the Lilac Bow Day.

Sources:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5637727/
• https://www.auxologico.it/malattia/disturbo-alimentazione-incontrollata-binge-eating-disorder#:~:text=%C3%88%20il%20Disturbo%20del%20Behavior, Alimentare%20nel%20corso%20della%20vita
• https://www.fondazioneveronesi.it/magazine/articoli/neuroscienze/i-disturbi-alimentari-e-la-prima-mappa-dei-centri-specializzazione-in-italia
• https://www.humanitas-care.it/news/alimentazione-incontrollata-un-disturbo-alimentare-subdolo/
• https://www.editoremarialuigia.it/disturbi-comportamento-alimentare/binge-eating-disorder/