How can family and friends help someone with binge eating disorder?
Binge eating disorder is a serious, life-threatening eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating. A person with binge eating disorder may eat an unusually large amount of food in a short period of time and feel unable to stop eating or control what they are eating. Binge eating episodes are often followed by feelings of shame, guilt, and embarrassment.
If you are worried that someone close to you may have binge eating disorder, there are ways you can help. First, try to have an open and honest conversation with the person about your concerns. It’s important to express your support and concern in a non-judgmental way. You can also offer to help them find professional help, such as a therapist or dietitian specializing in eating disorders.
In addition to talking with the person with binge eating disorder, you can also offer support in other ways. Here are some ideas:
-Educate yourself about binge eating disorder. The more you know, the better equipped you’ll be to support your loved one.
-Offer to go with your loved one to doctor’s appointments or therapy sessions.
-Encourage your loved one to eat regular, nutritious meals and snacks.
-Be supportive if your loved one wants to start or increase their physical activity.
-Help your loved one identify and avoid trigger foods or situations that may lead to binge eating.
-Encourage your loved one to avoid dieting, as this can often trigger binge eating episodes.
-Avoid making comments about your loved one’s weight or appearance.
-Encourage healthy coping and stress-management techniques, such as yoga, meditation, or journaling.
-Offer to help with household tasks or child care so your loved one can have more time to focus on recovery.
-Make sure to take care of yourself, too. It’s important to have a support system in place to avoid burnout. Click here for more info
What are the long-term effects of binge eating disorder?
Binge eating disorder (BED) is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food (often very quickly and to the point of discomfort); a feeling of a loss of control during the binge; experiencing shame, distress or guilt afterwards; and functioning normally in between episodes. Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States, affecting 3.5% of women, 2% of men, and 1.6% of adolescents.
There are a number of long-term effects associated with binge eating disorder, both physical and psychological.Physically, individuals with BED are at an increased risk for developing obesity and all of the associated health problems, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and cardiovascular disease. In addition, binge eating disorder can lead to gastrointestinal problems, such as acid reflux and GERD.
Psychologically, individuals with BED are at an increased risk for developing depression and anxiety, as well as substance abuse disorders. Binge eating disorder can also lead to social isolation and relationship problems.
left untreated, binge eating disorder can have a number of serious and even life-threatening consequences. If you or someone you love is struggling with BED, please seek professional help.
Visit mengeredstoo.co.uk to learn more about overcoming binge eating disorder. Disclaimer: We used this website as a reference for this blog post.