Binge eating happens all year round, but holiday season definitely makes it more of a topic of conversation. But is what you're talking about actually binge eating? People toss around the term like latkes, but is binge eating what you think it is?
Binge eating does not mean having second helpings of a special meal or eating dessert more frequently during a specific period of time (such as holidays). It doesn't mean eating cookies fresh out of the oven or spontaneously going out for ice cream. It's not about eating some extra bread, having dessert even though you're full, or snacking on leftovers. It's not even having some chocolate just because you're sad/mad/lonely. Contrary to what you may think, you're allowed to eat and have emotions at the same time, and you're even allowed to eat because of an emotion. These are all part of being human.
Binge eating refers to a specific form of eating that includes the following:
Eating an amount of food that is definitely larger than others would typically consume under the circumstances
Eating this large amount of food within a specific time frame
Experiencing a loss of control during the eating episode
Experiencing negative emotions after the episode, including shame, disgust, and distress
Binge eating can happen even when you're not hungry and typicallly occurs in secret. It is considered an eating disorder when it occurs at least once a week for three months. Binge eating disorder is a serious problem; it is associated with numerous emotional and physical problems and causes very real suffering.
Why does binge eating happen? Like other eating disorders, binge eating disorder is biopsychosocial, meaning it's a combination of genetics and environment that contribuite to its development. Biological makeup, family dynamics, social environment, trauma, and other factors can all play a role. One very significant factor is food restriction, which includes dieting. I have seen many clients who come for help for what they perceive as "emotional eating", when in fact, their binge eating is driven by restriction. Not getting enough to eat will cause both physical and psychological drives to eat, and this may occur in an out-of-control way. Sometimes even feeling like you should be on a diet can cause deprivation-driven overeating. Addressing body image concerns, establishing regular eating patterns, and increasing variety can go a long way toward resolving this typoe of overeating.
Restriction always needs to be ruled out before determining that overeating is "emotional eating." If you take the time to look, more often than not you'll discover some deprivation. However, eating really does serve as a way of regulating emotions. Food is a mood-altering chemical, and it really can enable you to feel better in the moment. Eating can help people zone out or even dissociate. ("Mindless eating" is called that for a reason!) But when this kind of eating becomes frequent or excessive, it can become problematic, and learning to cope with emotions in other ways is important for both physical and psychological health.
If binge eating is a problem for you, please know that there is effective help available. You are far from the only one suffering; binge eating disorder is actually the most common eating disorder! If you don't meet criteria for binge eating disorder but struggle with overeating, especially during special times, the following tips may help:
Don't try to "save up calories." Letting yourself get too hungry and then coming home hangry, or arriving at a party starving, is setting yourself up for overeating. Eating balanced meals and snacks throughout the day can help you make more reasonable eating choices and allow you to feel satisifed without feeling stuffed at the end of the day. Spreading out your intake over the day will also help you feel energized and keep your mood more stable.
Allow yourself to eat flexibly. Constantly telling yourself no can set you up to feel hopeless when you break a self-imposed rule, leading you to eat much more than feels comfortable. Including treats as part of a healthy eating pattern can make these foods feel less charged and make holidays much less intimidating.
Enjoy non-food desserts. These are rituals, hobbies, or ways of relaxing that don't rely on food, a sweet ending you can look forward to as the day comes to a close. Read more on this here.
Learn to recognize emotions and know what to do with them. If your desire to eat is not coming from physical hunger, ask yourself the following questions:
1) What emotion am I feeling? (If you can’t find the emotion, ask yourself what you feel like in your body, or ask yourself what might have happened in your day or what’s coming up in the future that might result in an emotion.)
2) What would food do for me in this situation?
3) What else could provide the same thing for me?
This can take a lot of practice, especially if emotional eating is an entrenched habit for you, but it is possible to teach your brain new things!
Many people are ashamed of their overeating and hesitate to reach out for help. However, to an eating disorder professional, there is nothing shameful about this issue. We see it as your brain's way of problem-solving, and we can help you learn to meet your needs in ways that work better for you. We are well-equipped to help with the spectrum of binge eating, so if you think you can use help, there's no need to do it alone.
For more tips specific to the holiday season, please check out Your Holiday How-To Guide.
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