Compulsive overeaters are another type of eating disorders. Compulsive overeaters are caught in a cycle of depression and binge eating. Food is often used as a coping method to help handle uncomfortable feelings. Some suffers say that their overeating episodes are used to numb all that is going on around them. Some even describe it as an addiction to food, in turn using it to hide from their emotions.
People that suffer from compulsive eating disorders usually are overweight. They are also usually aware that their eating habits are not normal. For many sufferers binges may not be broken into specific episodes but into days where they eat more than normal throughout the day. There are many triggers for the compulsive eater which may include depression, stress, boredom, anxiety and prolonged dieting. Most have a big dissatisfaction with their body image.
During a binge, the stress and negative feelings may temporarily disappear. Unfortunately after the binge, feelings of shame, more depression and disgust follow. Often the episodes of bingeing are usually kept secret and any evidence of overeating is hidden so others cannot see.
It sometimes can be hard to spot an overeater because it is not uncommon for the sufferer to eat normal and even restrictively in front of family and friends. Then later they may binge in private. Overeaters often binge late at night, when their family is asleep. They will also frequent fast food restaurants and convenience stores alone. Most compulsive eaters have a stash of junk food hidden from others for their personal use later.
Similar to other eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia, overeaters are forever struggling and are very unhappy with their weight. With a compulsive overeater, the number on the scale that morning determines how the sufferer feels about themselves. The constant dieting becomes a way of life for the compulsive overeater.
Compulsive overeaters often try every diet fad that comes around. With each diet that is tried, there is hope that this is the one. This diet will be the one to work. It may work at first; there may be some weight loss success with the new diet. Unfortunately in most cases the diet fails. Most often all the weight that was lost is regained. Then the cycle continues, because of the failure there is depression, the overeater will return to bingeing for comfort.
There are medical complications for the compulsive overeater. The overeating behavior can lead to severe and sometimes life threatening medical conditions such as hypertension and cardiac problems. Diabetes and severe depression are also major complications. Like other eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, compulsive overeating is a disease and it can't be cured with willpower alone, health professionals are needed along with family and friends support.
There are some warning signs to look for if you suspect someone is suffering from compulsive overeating. The warning signs are: eating large quantities of food, even though they are not hungry. Eating fast and eating to the point that they are uncomfortably full, are other signs of compulsive overeating. A sufferer may choose to eat alone because of embarrassment. A compulsive overeater will have feelings of depression and guilt along with disgust after eating. They may also have a history of weight fluctuations.
Eating Disorder Compulsive Overeating
The term bulimia means excessive or abnormal desire for food which is better described as ox-hunger. Bulimia Nervosa disorder has the character of repeating occurrence of binge eating which develops the person with lack of sense for having no control on eating behavior and encourages self-induced vomiting and intake of laxatives and drugs to get rid of this eating habit. This eating disorder is usually of three main types; Bulimia Nervosa, Anorexia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorder. It involves long lasting and obsessive eating pattern in the person suffering from this eating disorder. From the past 20 - 30 years, the number of people suffering from this disease is enormously increasing at a faster pace.
Anorexia nervosa is a disorder which compels people to starve themselves in an obsession of becoming thin. This disorder mainly affects teenage girls but men are no longer remaining exceptional in this case.
Bulimia nervosa, abbreviated to bulimia generally, is a disorder where an individual goes through the binge-eating session, followed by their worsening health. They often develop self-induced vomiting feeling of guilt for having eaten much. People suffering from bulimia nervosa tend to develop bulimia symptoms like this. They usually scare and suffer from an artificial preoccupation of gaining weight in their own body. People who suffer from this disorder greedily consume food in a huge quantity in an attempt to get rid of their stress and in another to deal with their anxiety feeling.
People having binge eating disorder intake high caloric foods in a frequent manner but this does not induced themselves for vomiting unlike people with bulimia nervosa sufferers. Studies and research have reported that binge eating disorders are likely to run in different generations of the family, so it is obviously a case having genetic links.
This is a psychological disorder that mostly affects women and very occasionally, it affects men. Bulimia nervosa affects every individual physically as well as with the underlying cause in relation with the reaction of being overweight, self image issues, self consciousness and lack of food control. Therefore, bulimia treatment is a significant thing for every person suffering from this psychological disorder, although the complete treatment is bit difficult. Because the sufferer never admits to the problems they are suffering from and develop tendency to hide this eating habit. Getting embarrass is another issue they have but this disease can prove to be extremely hazardous effect to their physical health. If the immediate bulimia treatment is not given to the person, he/she may begin to have problems such as electrolyte imbalance, esophageal tears, cardiac problems, gastrointestinal disorders, stomach disorders and dental problems. In the later stage of the disease it is become difficult for the person to normal functioning and the person become more prone to illnesses and colds. They may also develop more bruising on the surface of skin and may intend to have more broken bones from a simple fall. if anybody would find with this disorder and bulimia symptoms, approach him to obtain bulimia treatment for this as soon as possible.
There are many options of treatments a person suffering from bulimia nervosa can adopt. It includes medications, psychological treatment and support treatments for in patient and out patient, and dental treatments with compulsive exercising. While going through a treatment, person strictly needs put away him/herself from overeating and night eating habits. If any body is suffering from bulimia nervosa, it is important for you to support them in any way otherwise, treatment alone will not going to help them with their problem in any case.
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