What do you know about B.E.D. (binge eating disorder)?
June 22, 2008 by angelique
Filed under Women's Health
Of all eating disorders, I’d say that binge eating disorder probably gets the least amount of press.
(I suppose people simply assume that if you gorge yourself and don’t vomit, you’re simply a glutton rather than someone suffering from a legitimate mental illness.)
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) mentions these tidbits about binge eating disorder (or BED):
- BED is an ED-NOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified) characterized by recurrent binge eating without the use of compensatory measures to counter the binge eating. (In other words, it’s half of bulimia — all the bingeing, none of the purging behaviors.)
- BED is characterized by frequently eating large quantities of food in short periods of time; feeling out of control when it comes to eating; feeling ashamed of the behavior; eating in secret; and eating when you’re not hungry.
- BED affects approximately 1-5% of the population; and of those who are affected, 60% are women and 40% are men.
Have you ever known someone with BED?
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(As a side note, the short story I posted a couple months back centers around a BED sufferer who falls into a vicious cycle of bulimia. Check it out but please go easy on the writing — it was penned over 10 years ago!)
In my ED support group we occasionally get women with BED. They only come once, and then we usually never see them back. None of the “regulars” are overeaters and I think they just don’t feel welcome.
I did know one woman with BED when I was in a different group and she had been physically abused. I wonder how common that is.
DPG:
I think it must be really hard for those with BED. And I’m sure abuse is common among many people with eating disorders.
As far as I know in binge eating disorder, a person feels powerless, and suffers from compulsive overeating. Most of the Binge eaters have either genetics or underlying emotional issues involved.