Compulsive Eating

You may wonder, are these all names for the same thing? What is the difference between these styles of eating?

Compulsive Eating can be defined as an eating pattern characterized by a lack of control. We feel compelled to eat. This eating pattern may be emotionally driven or not, but the lack of control is what defines compulsive eating.

Compulsive eating may be emotionally driven, such as eating when we are sad or angry, but it can also be eating in response to the taste of food…that “I can’t stop at one bite” feeling. We may also eat in response to smelling brownies baking or feel triggered by seeing cake that a co-worker brought in as a snack.

Emotional Eating is a type of compulsive eating that involves eating in response to strong emotion. The emotion may be a distressing emotion, such as sadness, loneliness, grief, anger, or anxiety. However, it is also possible to eat in response to “positive” emotions such as excitement or joy. For most of us, eating is strongly social: We eat to celebrate and we eat to bond. In either case, when our eating is out of control, when we can’t stop eating when we choose, emotional eating becomes a form of compulsive eating.

Emotional eating does not always involve bingeing. Sometimes emotional eating involves grazing, or eating small amounts steadily throughout the day.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is a specific type of compulsive eating. It is a recognized disorder that involves repeatedly eating a large amount of food in one sitting. During the binge, we don’t feel we have control over our eating. We may also eat faster than normal, eat until we are uncomfortable, and/or eat when we are not physically hungry. We often feel embarrassed, disgusted, or depressed because of our binges. 

Unlike other medically recognized eating disorders such as bulimia, if we have BED we do not engage in what are called “compensatory behaviors,” such as self-induced vomiting or extreme exercising. ("Compensatory behaviors" are behaviors that are meant to offset weight gain from overeating.) When we have BED, we are often overweight, but not always. Also, being overweight does not always mean someone has binge eating disorder.

Please note that I treat compulsive/emotional eating and mild to moderate binge-eating disorder. As appropriate, it may be necessary to refer a client to a more appropriate medical and/or mental health provider.

It is possible to treat compulsive, emotional, and binge eating. Mindfulness and compassion informed approaches allow you to begin to heal these patterns and take back your life and your sense of control. When your energy is not tied up in fighting yourself, it is free for healing. Contact me now for a free 15-minute consultation.