Topic for July. 5. ( Fri )

[Alex !]

Feeling guilty after binge eating

-Psychological Issues Behind Eating Disorders

Trauma, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other mental health issues can increase the likelihood of an eating disorder. Dieting and starvation. Frequent dieting is a risk factor for an eating disorder, especially with weight that is constantly going up and down when getting on and off new diets.

Eating disorders are characterized by a persistent disturbance of eating patterns that leads to poor physical and/or psychological health.

The dictionary definition of binge eating is ‘eating too much food at once.’ So, is the standard for this excessive amount an objective amount of food?

Not like that. The criterion that determines binge eating is ‘emotion.’ Just regretting that you ate a lot can be seen as overeating or poor eating habits, but in the case of binge eating, it is accompanied by severe guilt, depression, and helplessness that go beyond regret. And our daily lives are greatly affected by binge eating and the emotions that follow after binge eating.

So why is binge eating associated with such strong emotions? In the clinic, we often meet people who suffer from eating disorders or who are experiencing stress linked to their eating behavior, even if it is not at the level of a disease. The core of that stress is excessive fear of gaining weight. 

Anorexia nervosa, in which people limit their eating and even lead to death despite being objectively underweight, and bulimia nervosa, in which people maintain a normal weight range but exercise excessively or intentionally cause vomiting or diarrhea due to regret and guilt over binge eating. Both of these diseases cause weight loss. There is a huge fear of increase.

The reasons why these eating disorders occur can be divided into three categories. First, there are environmental factors. Eating disorders began to appear in the 1970s, when a diet culture that emphasized a slim body shape emerged.

 A new topic, weight and body shape, emerged for people with a mentality that previously would have led to other obsessive-compulsive disorders, such as those with high levels of anxiety and a need for complete control to feel secure. Eating disorders are much more common among women, who face greater social pressure to be thin.

Of course, just because there is such a social atmosphere, it does not mean that everyone who tries to diet will develop an eating disorder. Innate biological and psychological factors are the determining factors. 

People with high levels of anxiety, sensitivity, and perfectionistic temperament, and people who are sensitive to other people's concerns and eval‎uations from an early age, are more vulnerable.

When these people start dieting for some reason, they become obsessively obsessed with it, and because they are not receiving proper nutrition, they become deficient in serotonin (a neurotransmitter that contributes to regulating body temperature, memory, emotions, sleep, appetite, and mood). This leads to changes in brain function.

Binge eating is truly not something to be taken lightly. This is because it has a significant impact on health and quality of life. And focusing only on the outward binge eating behavior does not provide treatment. 

Please remember that you need the help of an expert to deal with various and huge psychological problems such as self-esteem, self-identity issues, psychological conflicts with parents, and anxiety about the future that are hidden behind them.