Compulsive Overeating
It’s important to know that everyone will not have the same symptoms. Some people will have a mix of symptoms and you do not need to have all these symptoms to have Compulsive Overeating Disorder.
Definition:
People suffering
with Compulsive Overeating have what is characterised as an "addiction"
to food, using food and eating as a way to hide from their emotions, to
fill a void they feel inside, and to cope with daily stresses and problems
in their lives.
People suffering with this eating disorder tend to be overweight, are usually aware that their eating habits are abnormal, but find little comfort because of society's tendency to stereotype the "overweight" individual. Words like, "just go on a diet" are as emotionally devestating to a person suffering Compulsive Overeating as "just eat" can be to a person suffering from Anorexia.
Men and Women who are Compulsive Overeaters will sometimes hide behind their physical appearance, using it as a blockade against society (common in survivors of sexual abuse). They feel guilty for not being "good enough," ashamed about being overweight, and generally have a very low self-esteem. They use food and eating to cope with these feelings, which only leads into the cycle of feeling them ten-fold and trying to find a way to cope again. With a low self-esteem and often constant need for love and validation he/she will turn to obsessive episodes of binging and eating as a way to forget the pain and the desire for affection.
In addition, sufferers often have great shame at being unable to control the compulsion to eat. Compulsive overeating is a serious condition and needs professional support to ensure long-term recovery.
Psychological
signs of Compulsive Overeating:
Depression and or anxiety;
Mood swings;
Feeling out of control around food;
Feeling very self-conscious eating in front of others;
Feeling ashamed, depressed or guilty after binging.
Behavioural
signs of Compulsive Overeating:
Binging or eating
uncontrollably;
Purging by strict dieting, fasting, vigorous exercising, vomiting or abusing
the use of laxatives or diuretics in an attempt to lose weight;
Using the bathroom frequently after meals;
Preoccupation with body weight;
Irregular periods;
Developing dental problems;
Swollen cheek glands;
Heartburn and/or bloating.
Effects:
Complications
of Compulsive Overeating may include high blood pressure, diabetes, heart
disease, high cholesterol, kidney disease and/or failure, arthiritis and
bone deterioration, stroke and gallbladder disease. There may also be
significant psychological effects such as depression or anxiety which
are, ironically enough, emotions which often can trigger more binges.
Thus the disorder can be quite a vicious cycle.