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Complications of Binge Eating Disorder

There are many complications associated with Binge Eating Disorder.  Over time, the constant stress, disordered eating habits and lack of self-care that are part of BED can lead to:

 

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Obesity
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Diabetes
  • High Cholesterol
  • Gallbladder Disease
  • Heart Disease
  • Joint Pain
  • Muscle Pain
  • Headaches

 

Because BED and compulsive eating are associated with such serious conditions, it is vital that BED treatment include competent medical care to address related health issues. 

 

 

Depression

 

Depression is commonly found in people who have Binge Eating Disorder.  Whether it is a cause or a result of BED is not known for sure.  However, it is easy to see how a person with depression could fall into disordered eating patterns in an attempt to cope.  Likewise, it is easy to see how BED itself would worsen depression. 

 

The symptoms of clinical depression are not always obvious.  For instance, a person may not have many episodes of feeling deep sadness and despair, but instead have intense anger and irritability.  Below are some common symptoms of depression.

 

  • Frequent feelings of sadness or hopelessness
  • Irritability
  • Anxiety
  • Feelings of emptiness or worthlessness
  • Excessive feelings of guilt
  • Often feeling angry
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Difficulty making decisions; indecisiveness
  • Losing interest in things you used to like
  • Dysregulated eating or sleeping patterns
  • Feeling fatigued; lack of energy
  • Restlessness

 

If you suspect you might have depression, you should discuss your symptoms with a medical professional that specializes in depression.  If you are also struggling with BED, controlling depression symptoms is an important step towards eliminating the causes of binge eating.

 

This study found that depression was “markedly higher among individuals with BED.”

http://www.springerlink.com/content/q7g5056427n90216/

 

 

Anxiety

 

People who have Binge Eating Disorder often have high levels of anxiety.  Obsessing about food and weight may be an attempt to cope, but for people with BED, the obsessing just leads to more anxiety.  This can create a vicious cycle that is difficult to break.

 

Learning to manage anxiety and stress more effectively is key to overcoming binge eating.  When you take proactive steps to dissipate stress and anxiety, you may not feel the need to eat to soothe or distract yourself.  Practicing stress-management techniques also strengthens your ability to rely on yourself for support, instead of relying on food and weight obsession.

 

Here are some ways to manage anxiety and stress:

 

  • Meditation
  • Yoga
  • Tai Chi
  • Massage
  • Exercise
  • Biofeedback
  • Medication
  • Supplements
  • Eliminate stressful people and circumstances from your life
  • Guided imagery
  • Neurofeedback
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

 

 

 

Obesity

 

Not everyone who has binge eating disorder is obese, but repeated binging will usually lead to obesity.  The longer a person has BED and the more frequent episodes of binging become, the more likely it is that he will gain weight.

 

Fighting Binge Eating Disorder puts you in an awkward position.  On one hand, obsessing about dieting and weight is likely to backfire, as it just pulls you into the binge-diet cycle again.  On the other hand, the conditions that are associated with BED and obesity are often serious health threats.  Which one should you focus on first?  If you listen to most of society, they urge you to diet and lose weight.  But….haven’t you tried that? 

 

For people with Binge Eating Disorder, dieting is the wrong focus.  Instead, a person with BED has to deal with the underlying causes of her disordered eating.  At the same time, she has to learn 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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