Compulsive overeating is an eating disorder than is characterized by a severe addiction to food. Just like with any other addiction, when you suffer from this disorder, you constantly crave for food even though you do not need to consume all that much.
Compulsive overeating is often confused with binge eating, which is a similar, but more serious eating disorder. Binge eating is also characterized by uncontrollable acts of overeating. However, the main difference is that binge eating carries with it a more emotional and psychological impact in comparison.
For example, if you suffer from compulsive overeating, you generally feel joyful after a meal. You feel that your craving is satisfied although you may have exaggerated the amount that you ate.
On the other hand, if you suffer from binge eating, you do not feel joyful after the meal but a sense of guilt, depression and disgust that you have not been able to control yourself with regards to the portions that you ate. You become overly concerned that your last meal just caused you a few extra pounds and that the extra weight is going to have a severe impact on your body shape. You start to imagine the worst in how you look.
As depression is largely absent in the case of compulsive eating, it is considered less dangerous than binge eating, since it has a reduced chance of turning into bulimia. However, compulsive eating can gradually turn into a binge eating disorder if you become affected emotionally and psychologically about your body shape and weight.
The causes for both forms of eating disorders are similar, however. Both are emotional or psychological in nature. Just like smoking, it is not the body that craves the cigarette, but the mind. You may use food as a self-medication to get over your daily problems and this habit quickly turns into an addiction that you cannot get rid of. Or it may be the case that you have been emotionally abused. Or that you have just undergone a bad breakup with your partner.
The fact that compulsive overeating can hardly be separated from binge eating at times makes it difficult for doctors to accurately diagnose your condition. For whatever it is, both conditions need to be treated as soon as the first signs appear. Your eating disorder can escalate to the more serious bulimia if you ignore getting treatment.
Sandra Kim Leong
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/what-is-compulsive-overeating-79243.html
January 30th, 2010 at 11:52 am
I have compulsive overeating disorder and I need help?
I have compulsive overeating disorder.
It has not been officially diagnosed by a doctor but I fit 9 out of 10 symptoms everywhere I read about it, it’s like reading about myself. I’ve thought this for a while, it’s not just a spontaneous discovery or anything.
I DONT want to see a doctor or anything, so please don’t recommend that- what do YOU suggest??
No insults or mean things please, I have myself for that.
January 30th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
Honey, the best person to help you is your doctor. This isn’t something you can cure just by reading about it. You have to commit to curing this – it takes a huge amount of discipline and work, and very few people can master something like this without any support. Acknowledging the problem is one step – doing something about it is the next.
So talk with your doctor. Enroll with a therapist who is trained to help you. Get friends and family to help you. Don’t avoid the difficulties – the reward can change your life.
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January 30th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
There is really nothing anyone can say to you if you refuse to see a doctor. The doctor you would typically need to see would be a psychologist or psychiatrist, because what it sounds like you have is depression. A lot of people either sleep a lot, under eat or over eat. Some become compulsive shoppers, gamblers, etc. Anything to make them feel comfort.
You might try to find out about some groups or some classes you can take to help you with this problem. Other than that, you REALLY need to consider going to a doctor again.
No one is laughing, this is a serious matter, and if left unattended, it will get worse or more symptoms can arise.
Good luck
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January 30th, 2010 at 4:58 pm
see an acupuncturist – great for addicitons plus they are good listeners and councellors as well.
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January 30th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
i really feel for you, this is a hard thing to deal with, you somehow have to find the root cause of your over-eating, it is hard to dig deep into all your past where there has been problems, but its there somewhere…..do you restrict yourself on a diet and then binge?…..you could ditch the diet and start by eating as much healthy food as you want, even if your still eating too much, then eventually cut down little by little…..it takes many years for someone to overcome it, and its best to start by admitting and accepting that you will probably have to deal with this for a long time, i was once very overweight, it took a long time for me to eventually train myself to eat correctly, be strong and positive x ………i never told a doctor, i overcame it myself, ive been at a healthy weight for years now, but it was a tough journey
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