While there is public awareness about Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, there is a third eating disorder that is not nearly as well known: Binge Eating Disorder (BED). With the binge eater, the person will eat an enormous amount of food in a relatively short period of time. They may even have little conscious understanding of what they are doing. Like other eating disorders stress can trigger it, and those suffering can be any age. Younger children and teens may binge at night to hide it from their parents. BED could be exacerbated by dieting, as the individual tries to control their eating only to feel overwhelmed by craving and emotion and worsen the binges.
Therapy can help those suffering by revealing the triggers that set off the binge eating, and provide strategies for people to help better manage their emotions without disrespecting and abusing their bodies. Over time, they can establish a healthy relationship between their diet and food. If you or someone you love is suffering, reach out and get the help you need.
For more information about Binge Eating Disorder, check out this helpful article from Huffington Post.