But these assumptions aren't necessarily true. Among other health concerns, a rare consequence of bingeing can be acute massive gastric dilatation, a condition that causes extreme distention of the stomach. If not quickly managed, the condition can result in death.
It's important to understand this condition to fully grasp the impact of disordered eating like bingeing.
To understand acute massive gastric dilatation, it may be helpful to define key terms related to the condition:. Sometimes, the stomach may become so large that it occupies an area of the abdomen from the diaphragm to the pelvis and from the left side of the body to the right side of the body. Acute massive gastric dilatation occurs when there is extreme distention or enlargement of the stomach. While the condition is rare, it is encountered in several different scenarios.
It can be a postoperative complication after abdominal surgery and it is sometimes seen in patients with disorders including anorexia nervosa , bulimia nervosa , psychogenic polyphagia extreme desire to eat , or trauma.
The condition is dangerous because it can cause ischemia, necrosis, and perforation of the stomach. In most cases of acute massive gastric dilatation, surgery has been necessary to prevent or to treat the complications.
Early diagnosis with prompt gastric decompression may avoid unnecessary surgery. Though there is limited literature available, the case examples below illustrate the unexpected severity of acute massive gastric dilatation. In these examples, an episode of binge eating went wrong and triggered an urgent need for medical attention. A published case history provides details of a person with a history of anorexia nervosa. She had been unable to vomit for two hours. Her weight was in the low-normal BMI range and she was described as thin.
At first, she reported no significant abnormal eating preceding the onset of her pain. But she eventually disclosed a past history of anorexia nervosa, including bingeing and purging, which had occurred in her teens. She said she had gone four years without bingeing but then went on a one-hour binge preceding this presentation brought on by alcohol intoxication and stress. Medical intervention revealed that her gastric content included approximately two gallons of partially digested food.
She was suffering from acute gastric dilatation with some necrosis — which can be fatal if not accurately and quickly diagnosed and treated. Stomach contents were surgically removed. The woman remained in the hospital for five days and had to maintain a liquid diet even after she was discharged.
Eventually, she resumed a typical diet and has since reported no problems. However, if she had not come to the ER on the night of her binge eating episode, her outcome may have been dire.
Study authors noted in their report that early surgical intervention is critical in preventing fatal complications. When all of these come together, a diagnosis of binge eating disorder can be made by an eating disorder specialist. Binge eating treatment centers can guide an individual to a full recovery. However, before treatment can begin, a medical diagnosis is needed to determine whether the symptoms are actually BED or not.
Here is a list of common signs and symptoms of this disorder. If a person notices more than a couple of these signs in themselves or a loved one , they may wish to seek professional advice about binge eating disorder recovery. It should be noted that most of the above indicate that the disorder is not a lack of willpower—they indicate a challenging issue in the relationship with food and eating.
Luckily, binge eating disorder recovery is possible with a proper diagnosis and when help is obtained, especially at a professional and compassionate binge eating treatment center. Absolutely not. BED is not just a lack of willpower; in fact, many individuals who have been diagnosed with BED can achieve full recovery. Researchers have also found a genetic mutation that appears to cause food addiction.
Finally, there is evidence that low levels of the brain chemical serotonin play a role in compulsive eating. Binge eating leads to a wide variety of physical, emotional, and social problems. You may also experience depression, anxiety, and substance abuse as well as substantial weight gain. As bleak as this sounds, though, many people are able to recover from binge eating disorder and reverse the unhealthy effects. You can, too. The first step is to re-evaluate your relationship with food.
Recovery from any addiction is challenging, but it can be especially difficult to overcome binge eating and food addiction. To do this, you have to break the binge eating cycle by:. Avoiding temptation. Remove the temptation by clearing your fridge and cupboards of your favorite binge foods. Listening to your body. Learn to distinguish between physical and emotional hunger. Give the craving time to pass. Eating regularly. This only leads to overeating! Stick to scheduled mealtimes, as skipping meals often leads to binge eating later in the day.
Not avoiding fat. Contrary to what you might think, dietary fat can actually help keep you from overeating and gaining weight. Try to incorporate healthy fat at each meal to keep you feeling satisfied and full. Fighting boredom. Take a walk, call a friend, read, or take up a hobby such as painting or gardening.
Instead of eating mindlessly, be a mindful eater. Slow down and savor the textures and flavors. But dieting usually backfires. The deprivation and hunger that comes with strict dieting triggers food cravings and the urge to overeat. Instead of dieting, focus on eating in moderation.
Find nutritious foods that you enjoy and eat only until you feel content, not uncomfortably stuffed. Avoid banning or restricting certain foods, as this can make you crave them even more. One of the most common reasons for binge eating is an attempt to manage unpleasant emotions such as stress, depression, loneliness, fear, and anxiety. When you have a bad day, it can seem like food is your only friend.
Binge eating can temporarily make feelings such as stress, sadness, anxiety, depression, and boredom evaporate into thin air. But the relief is very fleeting. One of the best ways to identify the patterns behind your binge eating is to keep track with a food and mood diary.
Every time you overeat or feel compelled to reach for your version of comfort food Kryptonite, take a moment to figure out what triggered the urge. Write it all down in your food and mood diary: what you ate or wanted to eat , what happened to upset you, how you felt before you ate, what you felt as you were eating, and how you felt afterward.
When we overeat, we may be consuming twice that or even more. To make room for that extra food, your stomach stretches like a balloon.
Most people will feel discomfort as their stomach is stretched beyond its normal capacity. Foods high in fat and fiber take longer to digest. As that food lingers in your belly, it can start to push up against your diaphragm, causing you to have shallow breaths. It can also cause digestive fluids to sneak back up into your esophagus. When that happens, you may experience heartburn , which has nothing to do with your heart, or a sour, acidic taste in your mouth.
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