Is Binge Eating Disorder an “Actual” Eating Disorder?

First and foremost, the answer to this question is a scream at the top of your lungs YES. A thousand times Yes! Sadly, in the eating disorder (ED) community, binge eating isn’t seen as “serious” as other eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa. Why you may ask? A large part of ED’s revolve around the idea of control and willpower. Whereas Binge Eating Disorder (BED) makes one feel out of control and reinforces the concept that they have no willpower. The side effect of other eating disorders also may seem more acute and more dangerous. However, BED has serious side effects as well. There are plenty of health conditions that can come out of BED besides just weight gain.

Let’s talk about how society depicts people with BED for a minute. It is reinforced over and over that being in a larger body is an inherently and morally bad thing. You see it literally everywhere. How many shows have there been about people losing weight or people who are unable to lose weight like “My 600lb life” or “Fit to Fat to Fit.” These shows depict people who are struggling with their relationship with food as lazy, disgusting, worthless…you get the idea. It breeds and reinforces the idea that if only these people had willpower they would struggle anymore. Let me clear something up for you, if it was THAT easy, it wouldn’t be a problem. You wouldn’t have diet culture or weight loss shows. It’s never been about willpower and the solution for helping people with BED heal is not to teach them how to have more willpower.

*I do want to make a disclaimer that there are plenty of people with BED who do not appear to be in larger bodies.

The Role Shame Plays

So how has society’s depiction informed our way of seeing and treating BED? A large component of BED you may not see in other ED’s is shame. Shame in their bodies, shame in the inability to control what they eat, shame in how their BED is impacting their life. Shame makes people hide their issues and become less vocal about receiving help or even disclosing they are struggling. I want to take a look at this from a different perspective for a second. I want you to imagine meeting someone diagnosed with cancer. Would you ever, for one second, blame that person for getting cancer? Let’s even look at Depression or Anxiety. Would you ever look at someone struggling with those issues and blame them for having depression/anxiety? I think not. I see it over and over again though how are society points the finger and judges the person who is struggling with BED.

Health Issues

Those with BED are more at risk of developing the following:

• Heart Disease

• Type II Diabetes

• Artheritis

• Cancer

• Gallbladder Disease

• High Blood Pressure

• High Cholesterol

• Sleep Apnea

• Depression

• Anxiety

Interpersonal Risks

So we know the physical implications of BED. However, It’s not just the physical that BED impacts, it impacts every aspect of one’s life. A big part of it is your interpersonal life, or how you relate to other people. Those with BED are more likely to isolate themselves from others due to the shame they have surrounding their relationship with food. Going to a friend’s birthday dinner can feel overwhelming and anxiety-inducing. Instead of focusing on your friend, you are spending hours upon hours worrying about what you will eat, how people will look or judge you for what you eat, and what if you can’t stop eating in front of others. It might actually just be easier to say you don’t feel well and skip the entire dinner altogether. Do you get where I’m going with this? Those with BED may find themselves having difficulty making new friends, dating, or even going for that job promotion.

You Are Not Alone

I’m gonna take a second and just throw some facts at you. Eating Disorders impact 9% of the population and are the second deadliest mental illness behind Opioid Overdose. One person every 52 minutes dies as a direct result of an ED. Less than 6% of people with EDs are medically “underweight” and 26% of people with EDs attempt suicide. The point I’m trying to make is that you, yes, you who are reading this, are not alone. That is the last thing you are. The biggest mistake you can make in trying to get better is to not seek help and support.

I know the shame that BED puts on you is telling you not to ask for help.

What better way to kick its ass than to do the opposite of what it wants and ask for help?

Begin Working with A Binge Eating Therapist in Pennsylvania

Asking for help is hard, but our team is happy to offer support. You don’t have to struggle alone. This is why we are happy to offer in-person and online services across Philadelphia. You can start your therapy journey with Revive Therapy by following these steps:

1. Contact Revive Therapy

2. Meet your eating disorder therapist

3. Start releasing past trauma from the body!

Other Services Offered With Revive Therapy

Our team understands you may be experiencing a variety of mental health concerns in addition to binge eating. This is why we are happy to offer mental health support including trauma therapy, body image issues, and more. We also offer support with EMDR therapy if you’re in need of more specialized care. Additionally, all services are offered via online therapy in Pennsylvania. Feel free to visit our blog to learn more or call now!