Eating is essential for life, but the relationship with food varies greatly among people. For some, it represents a space for balance and nutrition, which is associated with “eating well” or a healthy eating. For others, on the other hand, food is an emotional refuge in the face of stress or sadness. Beyond these habits, there are eating disorders with a more serious impact on health, such as binge disorder.
According to data from Clinic Hospital in Barcelonathe prevalence of binge disorder affects approximately 2% of the population at some point in their lives. Although it is more frequent in women, there are more and more evidence of cases in men. This disorder is characterized by recurring episodes of compulsive intake of large amounts of food. During these episodes, the person eats much faster than usual and even without feeling real hunger. Despite feeling an unpleasant feeling of fullness, it is difficult for him to stop. At the end, feelings of guilt, shame or depression appear, which generate intense discomfort. These behaviors are not isolated, but are repeated over time.
To understand the magnitude of this disorder, it is useful to distinguish between eating well, eating by emotional factors and binge disorder. “Eating well” implies attending the signs of hunger and satiety, following a balanced diet and not feeling guilt after adequate diet. Who “eats well” rarely experiences intakes or feelings of shame or remorse, characteristics of binge disorder. However, even the person with healthy habits can sometimes resort to food to relieve stress, without becoming a long -term problem.
On the other hand, eating by emotional factors can occur in various moments of stress, anxiety or sadness, but does not reach the intensity of a binge or repeat with the same frequency. In addition, if the person does not experience great regret or usually resorts to food as a path of emotional escape, these sporadic episodes of excessive intake do not have to represent a serious problem. However, it is essential to monitor the use of food to handle emotions, since a compulsive behavior could become and, over time, lead to a Eating disorder.
Binge disorder, on the other hand, is characterized by recurring episodes of loss of control, intense discomfort and a deep suffering. It is common for the person to hide or store food and get rid of large amounts of hypercaloric foods or their wraps. Often, alternate binge with very restrictive diets that, being unsustainable, end up in failure, increasing anxiety in daily situations related to food. When these behaviors are repeated and affect social, family or work life, seeking professional help becomes fundamental. Although the recovery process can be long, there are effective treatments that offer hope.
The immediate environment plays a key role in both prevention and approach to binge disorder. It is essential to create a support environment. This implies promoting a healthy body image, listening without judging, avoiding comments on food or weight and encouraging the person to express their feelings. In addition, if the person has initiated a treatment, it is important to respect the guidelines of health professionals, create a pleasant environment during meals and reinforce small achievements.
It is also important that those who accompany someone with this disorder take care of their own well -being and do not blame for their evolution, since their origin is multifactorial. That is, it does not respond to a single cause. In their development, individual factors influence, such as genetic predisposition, perfectionism, rigidity or low self -esteem, which can be aggravated by family dynamics, such as unstructured, overprotective environments or in which thinness is excessively valued.
To this are added social factors, such as the ideal of beauty that occurs in the media and social networks, as well as sports and professionals where body image has a determining weight. Understanding this interaction of factors is key to addressing binge disorder in an integral and effective way.
Detecting alert signs, speaking with sincerity and going to health professionals are essential steps on the way to recovery. The key to overcoming this disorder is to recognize it, provide adequate support and follow a treatment that addresses both the physical and emotional dimension of the affected person.
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