How to Know If You Binge Eat

Updated by: Maya De La Rosa-Cohen

Sometimes you may look down at your plate and feel surprised by how much you just ate.

You might have been caught up in the moment, resulting in overeating.

Or maybe the dish was so delicious that you refused to leave a crumb behind. 

Overeating once-in-a-while is normal, but frequent binging may be a symptom of a binge eating disorder—a mental health condition that can severely affect your health. 

Keep reading to learn if you binge eat and what symptoms you should look out for if you suspect you or a loved one is suffering from a binge eating disorder.

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Binge Eating Symptoms

Indulging and occasionally overeating is normal. 

But if it's happening at every meal, you should get assessed for binge eating. 

Binge eating symptoms extend beyond the quantity of food you eat; it also includes behaviors during eating.

• Eating large amounts of food in a specific time frame (usually within a two hour period) at least once a week for three months or more.
• Feeling guilty, ashamed, or upset after overeating. 
• Feeling a loss of control while binge eating. 
• Not engaging in inappropriate compensatory behaviors after eating, like excessive exercise or purging. 
• Eating in secret. 
• Eating despite not feeling hungry. 
• Eating to the point of discomfort or pain. 
• Eating quickly.
• Frequently dieting.

You should be formally assessed for an eating disorder if you participate in any of these behaviors after eating. 

When to See a Doctor

If you’ve been binging at least once a week for several months, if you’re feeling a loss of control around food or ashamed of your eating habits, or if you’re experiencing any new or troubling symptoms around food, you should reach out to your doctor for help. 

What Is Binge Eating Disorder? 

Regular binging at meals can increase your risk of developing an eating disorder called binge eating disorder (BED). 

It's much harder for physicians to confirm a binge eating disorder diagnosis because the symptoms are less noticeable than other eating disorders. 

This knowledge gap can be very hard on people suffering from BED. 

They might fly under the radar and silently suffer from their condition for years. 

Treatment is still possible, but enduring an eating disorder for so long can take a massive toll on mental health and quality of life, making it more challenging for some people to recover. 

How to Know If You Binge Eat

If your doctor or health care provider suspects you are at risk of an eating disorder, they will likely ask you to complete a SCOFF questionnaire. 

The SCOFF questionnaire is a scientifically proven screening tool that can help detect eating disorders in people. 

There are 5 questions in this SCOFF screening tool: 

• Do you make yourself Sick because you feel uncomfortably full?
• Do you worry that you have lost Control over how much you eat?
• Have you recently lost more than One stone (14 lb) in a 3-month period?
• Do you believe yourself to be Fat when others say you are too thin?
• Would you say that Food dominates your life?

If you answer yes to two or more questions, you may have an eating disorder, and you should follow up with a specialist for further assessment. 

They may repeat this questionnaire with you during the appointment and ask you to complete blood work to assess your health status further.  

How is BED Different From Other Eating Disorders? 

BED is the most common eating disorder in the United States.

But unlike other eating disorders, like anorexia nervosa or bulimia, people with BED do not engage in inappropriate compensatory behaviors, like excessive exercise, purging, or fasting. 

Unlike anorexia nervosa or avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), BED is not characterized by severe restrictions or limitations around food. 

Who Is At Risk Of BED? 

The National Eating Disorders Organization recognizes that an eating disorder can happen due to genetics, psychological, and social influences. 

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Genetic and Biological Risk Factors 

• Having a close family member with a diagnosed eating disorder. 
• Having a close family member who is diagnosed with a mental health condition, especially anxiety. 
• Family weight concerns, conflicts, and parenting problems.
• People with a borderline personality disorder may also suffer from binge eating or eating disorders.  
• History of dieting.

Psychological Risk Factors   

• Perfectionism traits. 
• Body image dissatisfaction. 
• History of substance use disorder.

Social Influences 

• Experiencing weight stigma; being told that your body size and eating habits don’t fit the social norms. 
• Following social media accounts and influencers who promote thinness or a particular appearance. 
• Bullying and weight shaming. 
• History of physical or sexual abuse.

Binge Eating Disorder Treatment 

There are many ways to treat BED. Some people with BED will benefit from multiple avenues of treatment.

The most effective treatment combination will vary depending on an individual’s unique health goals and needs.

Mental Health Counseling

Mental health counseling, or psychotherapy, is the first-line treatment option for people with BED.

In some cases, mental health counseling on its own works to help people heal their relationship with food and eating.

Different types of psychotherapy that can be used to treat BED include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is a short-term, problem-oriented therapy approach that focuses on helping people understand the thoughts and feelings that influence their behaviors. The results of several randomized controlled trials show that CBT is the psychotherapy of choice for BED. 

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• Interpersonal psychotherapy: Group or individual sessions can use interpersonal psychotherapy to identify the root cause of someone’s BED and focus on constructive changes to treat the disorder.

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• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy: This type of therapy focuses on educating patients on how to manage their behaviors and emotional dysregulation associated with BED.

Medication

While pursuing counseling, a physician or therapist may also recommend some forms of medication. 

Medication may also be used to treat someone who does not have access to psychotherapy or declines psychotherapy treatment.

Not all patients will be appropriate candidates for pharmacotherapy, but you should still learn about these options to help you make an informed treatment decision.

‍Medications used to treat BED include:

• Some SSRIs, including sertraline, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, escitalopram, citalopram. 
• Some antiepileptic drugs, including zonisamide and topiramate.
• Some ADHD medications, including lisdexamfetamine and atomoxetine. 
• Armodafinil, a medication for shift work disorder.

Most of these drugs can help reduce appetite, which means people with BED are less likely to overeat. 

Some of them will also target anxiety and other mental health conditions. 

Research shows that a combination of counseling and pharmacotherapy can lead to long-lasting changes.

Nutrition Counseling

Addressing your mental health first can pave the way to making more meaningful diet changes as you gain greater clarity and an improved capacity to make big decisions. 

A binge eating dietitian can help you redefine your relationship with food and help you build a diet plan that’s balanced in both nutrients and calories. 

They can also educate you on foods that help you feel full longer after eating, making you less likely to binge again soon after your meal.

All Foods Fit 

Sometimes, people end up overeating or binging on a certain food after it has been restricted from their diet. 

This is most likely to happen when people follow prescriptive diet rules they saw online or are part of a yo-yo diet program designed for weight loss. 

Telling yourself, “no, I can’t eat that food anymore,” is one of the most effective ways to guarantee you will be thinking (and maybe obsessing) about that food. 

It can be harder to control your intake when you permit yourself to eat that food, either by choice or by rebelling against the diet rules. 

This can lead to a vicious cycle of feeling guilty after eating and reacting with emotional eating. 

The all foods fit philosophy embraces the idea that your diet should include everything in moderation. 

Stripping away food rules and allowing yourself to enjoy smaller portions of all foods can provide you with food freedom and help you build a sustainable diet.  

Takeaway

Everyone experiences an occasional bout of overeating from time-to-time.

But eating large amounts of food, eating past the point of fullness, or feeling ashamed, guilty, or upset after eating large amounts of food every week for a period of three months or longer are signs of binge eating disorder (BED).

BED is a serious mental health condition and the most common eating disorder in the United States.

But the first step to healing your relationship with food is seeking help. 

BED can be treated with psychotherapy, nutrition counseling, and for some people, medication.

Nourish Can Help 

Battling with binging is frustrating, but you can regain control of your eating. 

Embracing an all-foods-fit philosophy can help to decrease binge frequency. 

It allows you to enjoy all types of foods without feeling restricted or guilty after eating them. 

People who binge regularly, at least once a week, should be assessed for binge eating disorder. 

Working with a registered dietitian specializing in binge eating disorders can help you see results faster. 

Nourish has a team of dietitians available for online appointments. Every provider is fully covered by insurance and wants to help you succeed.

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