Sand after eating you feel guilty, drained and out of control, there may be a name for what you are experiencing.
When we eat too much, it’s not always a question of hunger. Sometimes it is the sign of an emotional balance that has been broken.
Eating too much every now and then does not mean you have a disorder. But when binges become recurrent, accompanied by loss of control and a sense of guilt, then we are no longer talking about “willpower”, but about binge eating disorderor Binge Eating Disorder (BED)now recognized as a true clinical condition and not as a self-control problem.
What is Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
It is the most common eating disorder in adults. Yet, it is also the least recognized, unfortunately also because in clinical practice attention is often focused almost exclusively on weight. It is essential that those involved in nutrition develop greater sensitivity and specific training on these disorders, to recognize the signals and not trivialize a complex situation like this.
The binge eating disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating. But what does binge mean? Eating a significantly higher quantity of food than normal in a relatively short time, with the feeling of not being able to stop.
The loss of control
The central feature is not the quantity itself, but the loss of control. The quantity of food, in fact, can be partly subjective: what for one person is a binge, for another may not be. Precisely for this reason, the discussion on is still open in the scientific community how much weight to give to the quantitative criterion with respect to the perception of loss of controlwhich remains the most clinically relevant element.
The differences with bulimia
Unlike bulimia, compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, prolonged fasting or use of laxatives do not follow after the binge. The episode is rather disappointing shame, guilt, and strong internal discomfort.
A psychiatric disorder in all respects
Evidence from recent years confirms that binge eating disorder it is a psychiatric disorder in all respects, with precise diagnostic criteria (DSM-5-TR and ICD-11), and not a variant of obesity. It’s true that a significant portion of people with BED have overweight or obesity, but not all people with obesity have binge eating disorder.
In the studio I often see women who arrive convinced that they have no self-control, when in reality they are experiencing a disorder that has a specific name.
Signs not to be underestimated
The symptoms of BED do not only concern eating behavior, but also the emotional sphere.
It’s not simply about “eating too much.”
Typical signals are:
- Recurrent episodes of binge eating (at least once a week for several months)
- Feeling of loss of control during the episode
- Eating faster than normal
- Eating even without physical hunger and even foods that you don’t particularly like
- Eating alone due to feelings of emptiness
- Feeling guilty, sad or disgusted after the episode.
Anxiety and depression
In the last five years, the most authoritative reviews have highlighted another important aspect: BED rarely comes alone: it is often associated with depression, anxiety disorders, difficulties in emotional regulation and substance abuse. This comorbidity makes the disorder more complex and explains why “going on a diet” is not enough.
Blood sugar inflammation
Metabolically, repeated binge eating can contribute to glycemic instability, low-grade inflammation, and increased visceral fat. But the problem arises first, on an emotional and neurobiological level.
The most recent research increasingly speaks of alterations in reward circuits, impulsivity, stress dysregulation and difficulties in distinguishing emotional hunger from physiological hunger.
It’s not a question of will. It is a system that has lost balance.
How to get out of binge eating disorder: effective therapies and strategies
The good news is that the Binge eating disorder can be treated.
Therapies for binge eating disorder today are well codified and supported by solid scientific evidence. International guidelines indicate that treatment is the first choice cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy specific for eating disorders (CBT-ED), which reduces the frequency of binge eating and helps maintain results over time.
Useful strategies
Other approaches, such as interpersonal therapy or courses aimed at emotional regulation. In recent years they have also developed guided digital programswhich in some studies have shown good results in less complex cases.
No to restrictive diets
A crucial point: in the treatment of binge eating disorder you never start from a restrictive diet.
Indeed, the guidelines recommend not initially focusing on weight loss, but on regularizing meals, reducing restriction and rebuilding a more neutral relationship with food.
Because the restriction-binge cycle is one of the main drivers of the disorder.
In some cases a may be indicated pharmacological supportespecially if depressive or anxiety comorbidities are present, but it never represents the only intervention.
In practice, what does “get out” mean?
It means working on multiple levels:
- Structure regular meals to avoid extreme glycemic fluctuations
- Learning to distinguish physical hunger from emotional hunger (learning to listen to the signals that the body sends is the first essential step)
- Identify triggers (stress, boredom, loneliness, conflicts, etc.)
- Reduce perfectionism and all-or-nothing thinking (the belief that even a small “mistake” can invalidate all the efforts and results previously obtained)
- Work on self-esteem and emotion regulation
And above all: stop the shame. Binge eating disorder is a pathology and thrives in silence.
The most important message
Binge eating is not a personal failure.
They are a signal.
When they become frequent and accompanied by loss of control and emotional suffering, they should not be minimized and cannot be resolved with a simple diet.
We need an integrated, psychological and nutritional approach, centered on the person.
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness
It is the first step towards balance. Awareness of having a problem is always the first step to solving it.
Doctor Federica Almondo
Doctor Federica Almondo.
Specialist in Food Science, trained at Dietology and Obesity Center of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milanthe Doctor Federica Almondo it is a point of reference in personalized nutrition, preventive medicine and anti-aging pathways.
After founding and directing Cerva 16 – Nutrition & Anti-aging Center, he created a STUDIO ALMONDO – NUTRITION & LONGEVITYa place where science, technology and a human approach meet to create tailor-made programs. It deals with tools such as genetic tests (DNA), assessments of the state of the intestinal microbiota, analysis of oxidative stress, body composition, indirect calorimetry. But also ANS Analysiss to build highly personalized diets with approach holistic and scientifically validatedsuitable for even the most complex needs.
With excellent training and skills ranging from nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics to nutraceutics, metabolomics and epigeneticsAlmondo is also recognized for her work on intestinal health, menopause, chronic stress management and optimization of psycho-physical energy. Particular attention to ketogenic therapya nutritional approach now totally validated by scientific literature such as effective intervention in many complex pathologiesincluding type 2 diabetes, PCOS, fibromyalgia and lipedema and much more.
