Overeating, Binge eating, and Food addiction in Lockdown period

Are you not able to control eating in this Lockdown? Often there is confusion among people between overeating, binge eating, and food addiction. So what is the Difference between Overeating, Binge eating, and Food addiction?

Overeating

Overeating can be a normal tendency for many individuals, to have excess food at a function or wedding even when already full or eating beyond satiety at a special holiday meal or to celebrate. It may occur periodically in a person and cannot be called a disorder. During the lockdown, we might tend to overeat since most of us are working from home an have easy access to food and we have the time available to show our creativity in the kitchen.

But, there is this fine line drawn between overeating and Binge Eating?  It is important to make a distinction between overeating and binge eating. Binge Eating Disorder is, in fact and diagnosable eating disorder, not just an occasional happening or symptom.

Binge Eating

Binge Eating is a Disorder that can be defined as recurring episodes of eating more food in a short period. People have feelings of lack of control often leading to both emotional and physical distress.

Men and women who struggle with binge eating typically experience feelings of disgust, guilt, or embarrassment and binge eat in isolation to conceal the behavior.

Food addiction

Food addiction is a disorder – a biochemical dependency on food. This problem is described as a person relating to the specific food(s) Food addicts experience a physical craving, mental obsession, irritation, headaches if they do not have the specific food at that point. There is a direct connection between emotional problems and food addiction.

In the case of food addiction, the body has become dependent on certain foods or eating behaviors. The most common addictive foods are sugar, flour, fat, salt, or a combination of these. The most common addictive eating behaviors are bingeing, purging, grazing, and volume eating.

Food addiction is a chronic disease characterized by seeking the foods or food behaviors we are addicted to, eating/doing them compulsively, and having difficulties controlling these urges despite harmful consequences.

When we initially consumed these foods as children, we probably still had the choice of when and how much to eat them. But repeated use can lead to brain changes that challenge an addicted person’s self-control and interfere with their ability to resist consuming these foods or partaking in their eating behaviors.

The proper cure is required for Binge eating and Food addiction disorders, as if untreated it can lead to serious ramifications on the mind and overall health. Consult a Counsellor in your vicinity soon if you want to get de addicted.

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