BINGE EATING
Binge eating disorder develops based on a mixture of genetic, environmental and social constructs. The focus on this blog is the social/ family aspect of eating patterns.
Food is such a major component of cultural, social and family dynamics. It is used as part of celebrations, for religious ritualization, cultural events and a learned self-soothing habit. We have cake for birthday parties, a cultural dish to help when you are sick (like chicken soup), and a special treat when you are sad (warm cookies) or a special dinner on major occasions. Having food for every occasion can lend to the use of food as a negative coping skill because it has become a learned behavior. Binge eating / obesity will run in families due to the way food is used to deal with feeling or emotions. Memories are strongly tied to our senses: taste reminds use of a positive experience, the smell of food may remind us of a family member that cooked, and touch could be helping cook a special meal and the sound of a specific food cooking to bring back a special memory.
“From infancy, we establish a connection with our caregivers based on how our most instinctual needs are met. “ (Karges, 2018) One of our most instinctual needs is food and it is a major part of the bonding moments with a mother. According to Hamberg, The sharing of food can increases closeness to others like our parents making our favorite dessert when we are upset or sharing food at times of crisis. The use of food can become a supportive behavior and if no other self-soothing behavior is taught then food become the primary means to sooth self and others. The use of food in as a coping and self-soothing tool within the family can lead to binge eating disorders among members. According to Karges, some ways self-soothing through food is taught is by giving a food as a reward, a bribery to behave a certain way or used to comfort a child in destress. It is like replacing their favorite blanket or toy with a cookie every time they get upset.
There is also a genetic connection with binge eating and comorbid disorders like depression so families have learned to cope with the depression by using food. In the study, Parent binge eating and depressive symptoms as predictors of attrition in a family-based treatment for pediatric obesity, There is a correlation between parental mental illness and binge eating disorder and children developing the same patterns of behavior and diagnosis. If the behavior continues then it will be passed down multi-generationally.
The best way to assist in treating or preventing binge eating disorder is through the family system by changing eating patterns and the use of food in emotional regulation. In order for recovery to become effective the family needs to be involved in treatment to help reduce familial patterns in future generations and to support positive change.
References
Braden AL, Madowitz J, Matheson BE, Bergmann K, Crow SJ, Boutelle KN. Parent binge eating and depressive symptoms as predictors of attrition in a family-based treatment for pediatric obesity. Child Obes. 2015;11:1659. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4382825/
Hamburg, M. E., Finkenauer, C., & Schuengel, C. (2014). Food for love: The role of food offering in empathic emotion regulation. Frontiers in Psychology, 5. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00032 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00032/full
Karges, K. (2018). Binge Eating Disorder and Family Patterns of Self-Soothing. Eating Disorder Hope. Retrieved from https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/binge-eating-disorder/binge-eating-disorder-and-family-patterns-of-self-soothing.
Written By: Karen Limme LPC Intern, Exult Healthcare
tr(EAT)ing Your Issues
Many people suffer from both physical and mental issues ranging from chronic pain to depression and addiction, and many of them don’t want to rely on prescription medications of expensive professional therapies to help them manage. While there is a place for that in some cases, one of the best and most effective things you can do right now to help yourself is change your diet for the better.
Obesity is the leading cause of dozens of ailments
The benefits of losing weight stretch far beyond looking good in a bikini. Being obese is the leading cause of a wide range of health problems, and it’s one of the health conditions that’s well within your control. With a healthy diet, you can eliminate obesity and move toward a healthy weight.
Here’s a short list of conditions that obesity plays a role in: high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high levels of triglycerides, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and some cancers (endometrial, breast, colon, kidney, gallbladder, and liver).
Obesity also plays a part in mental health issues like depression and anxiety. It puts a strain on muscles and joints, leading to chronic pain.
The point is, reducing your weight through a dietary change is the best thing you can do to address whatever ails you.
What you eat directly influences your mood
For those suffering from mental illness, eating the right food and avoiding the wrong food can be one of your best lines of defense. What you put in your gut is what powers your brain. If you’re giving your “engine” low-quality fuel, you’re going to see low-quality results.
One thing you can do immediately is ween yourself off refined sugars – including soft drinks, sweet tea, sugary cereals, and desserts. “Multiple studies have found a correlation between a diet high in refined sugars and impaired brain function — and even a worsening of symptoms of mood disorders, such as depression,”says Harvard Health. .
You can eat certain foods that contain vitamins and nutrients that have been shown to boost mental health. “Evidence suggests that certain nutrients in food may support emotional well-being. These include nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, vitamin D, and vitamin B-12,”notes FamilyDoctor.org.
Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, nuts, leafy greens, and low-fat dairy all fit the bill.
Trading healthy habits for unhealthy ones
Healthy eating is about discipline and control. Learning how to limit your food intake, avoid unhealthy (but tempting) foods, and stick to a plan all teach your brain that you have the power of self-control.
Turning to “comfort eating” to help cope with problems mimics the behavior of drug and alcohol addiction and can lead you down a bad path.
“Another problem with comfort eating is that it is just another way to avoid dealing with problems. It is similar to alcohol and drug addiction as it actually increases the problems that people will have to deal with,” says AlcoholRehab.com.
Healthy eating also reduces spikes in blood sugar, which has been shown to be a problem for those in recovery.
Before you invest in expensive treatments or turn to prescription medication to deal with your physical or mental ailments, you should reassess your diet and see if you can make some changes for the better. Start small. It may sound cliche, but Rome really wasn’t built in a day. A healthy diet is a lifestyle choice, not a weekly fad. The more you work healthy eating into your daily routine and make it a part of your life, the better you’ll be able to stick to it as the weeks, months, and years go by.
By: Guest Writer, Eric Johnson from Us Health Corps
The views of this author are not that of Exult Healthcare, and therefore, are the individual’s own views.
Eating away a Disorder
According to the CDC almost 40% of adults over the age of 20 are considered obese. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 and above. Obesity remains the leading cause of heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer. For many, weight gain is a result of medical issues or a side effect of medications.
For others it could be due to disordered eating behaviors that include stress eating, eating when full, eating in secret or feeling loss of control while eating. Emotional eating is the act of using food to satisfy one’s emotional needs rather than to satisfy hunger. Most people identify as emotional eaters, after all, who hasn’t come home from a hard day at work and wanted to eat pizza or sat down with a pint of ice cream after a break-up?
Although this might sound like binge eating, it is very different from an actual diagnosis of Binge Eating Disorder (BED). BED is characterized by out of control eating that occurs frequently, is out of control and leaves a person with intense feelings of guilt and shame. BED occurs when a person eating an amount of food not normal for them in one sitting, at least twice a month.
In a binge episode, people tend of eat thousands of calories of highly processed foods (e.g. pizza, fast food, ice cream, candy, cookies), rapidly, in secret and until they are uncomfortably full (even then some). People tend to use the term “binge” to describe over eating, but BED is an eating disorder that needs to be addressed by a multidimensional team of professionals like a medical doctor, dietitian and a therapist.
Written by Cynthia D’Sauza,
Clinical Director, LPC, LMFT, PhD
BED-7 Test ( This test is a diagnostic and does not reflect Exult’s view)
1. During the last 3 months, did you have any episodes of excessive overeating?
2. Do you feel distressed about your episodes of excessive overeating?
3. During your episodes of excessive overeating, how often did you feel like you had no control over your eating?
4. During your episodes of excessive overeating, how often did you continue eating even though you were not hungry?
5. During your episodes of excessive overeating, how often were you embarrassed by how much you ate?
6. During your episodes of excessive overeating, how often did you feel disgusted with yourself or guilty afterward?
7. During the last 3 months, how often did you make yourself vomit as a means to control your weight or shape?