Many of us have experienced that feeling where we’ve eaten more than is good for us at one sitting. It’s a different thing if you find yourself continually overeating and feeling helpless and out of control. That can be a sign of a potential binge eating disorder. Getting professional help for your condition can offer you relief from your distress and help you overcome your illness. Red Oak Recovery provides clients with the opportunity to address various mental disorders, including binge eating disorder. Call our team today at 828.382.9699 to learn about the treatment methods available.
What Causes Binge Eating Disorder?
People with a binge eating disorder typically start showing signs of the illness during adolescence or early adulthood. It may begin after completing a diet plan. Some individuals find a sense of comfort in the act of binge eating. However, feelings of depression and anxiety about what’s happening quickly follow this comfort.
There are many factors that come into play that can lead to binge eating, including:
- Social pressures to be slim
- Other mental health disorders like depression
- Poor body image
- Biological factors
Binge eating can become a vicious cycle of self-doubt and recrimination. You may notice yourself gaining weight because of your disorder, leading to more binge-eating and negativity directed toward yourself. That kind of compulsion can be hard to break without professional help from an eating disorder specialist.
What Are the Symptoms of a Binge Eating Disorder?
Individuals who have a food obsession that leads to binge eating often feel ashamed and embarrassed about their condition. Many try to hide the extent of their illness from friends and family. Common symptoms of a binge eating disorder include:
- Not being able to control what you eat or the amount
- Quickly eating large portions of food
- Finding release from stress when you eat
- Continuing to eat even when you feel full
- Hiding food away to consume later by yourself
- Making a show of eating regular meals in the company of others, then binge eating when you are alone
- Eating frequently and not following designated mealtimes
If you’ve noticed these symptoms, it may be time to find eating disorder treatment.
Effects of Long-Term Binge Eating Habits
Prolonged binge eating can lead to a range of physical, emotional, and psychological issue like:
- Obesity
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure
- Feeling overwhelmed by stress
- Thoughts of suicide
Even though things may seem hopeless at times, there is help available for individuals who binge eat or have other forms of an eating disorder.
Get Treatment at Red Oak Recovery
Honesty, like any addiction, is the first and often the most crucial step in recovery. You can benefit from taking a hard look at your current relationship with food. Once you recognize the triggers that drive your behavior, you can start looking at ways to develop better food habits. Try to focus on making sure your body receives what it needs to continue functioning. It helps to recognize instances when you may be relying on food to fill emotional needs versus nutritional ones.
Many people find that they are more likely to consume unhealthy foods if they are in the house. You can make yourself less vulnerable to temptation by going through your kitchen and hidden stashes and clearing out your go-to binge eating foods.
Many people who binge eat have trouble determining if they are truly hungry or just responding to emotional triggers. Regular therapy at a treatment center like Red Oak Recovery can help you learn how to distinguish when you need to eat, so you stop using food to manage other painful emotions.
Our facility provides clients with access to various programs, including:
- Mental health treatment
- Drug addiction treatment
- Alcohol rehab program
- Holistic healing
If you’re tired of letting food control your life and want to start getting healthy, act on that impulse today by contacting Red Oak Recovery at 828.382.9699.
