What is Binge Eating Disorder? Compulsive Eating Basics - What is Binge Eating Disorder? - Information About Binge Eating Disorder Repercussions

Written by Natasha Tracy

Repurcussions of Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder is commonly noticed and considered problematic after the compulsive eater becomes overweight, but by then damage can already be done. The compulsive overeater may already be suffering from:

• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood cholesterol
• Heart disease

as well as other health problems associated with obesity.

Perhaps worse is that psychological patterns have become ingrained to the point where dealing with stress through compulsive overeating is the only coping mechanism the person has left. Compulsive overeating disorder is also associated with high levels of depression and suicidal thoughts.

Binge Eating Disorder Treatment

The main treatment for binge eating disorder is therapy. There are several types of binge eating therapy known to work for compulsive overeating disorders. Hospitalization is extremely rare and only occurs when severe medical or psychiatric complications exist.

"People overeat or binge because they are experiencing some kind of stress for which they have no tools or skills to handle," explains Poppink. "Often these people are extremely capable. However, somewhere in their history, they learned to cope with stress through food behaviors because they had no access to other methods of protection, adaptation or development."

Binge eating disorder is very common, affecting 1 million to 2 million adults in the United States. While compulsive overeating occurs most commonly in people with severe obesity, people with a normal weight can also be affected.

Obese people often try to handle weight-loss on their own, but for someone with binge eating disorder, a diet may ultimately make the disorder worse. Compulsive overeating disorder requires treatment for the psychological reasons behind the compulsive overeating before weight-loss can be attained.