Why Do People Binge Eat?
- Brainz Magazine
- Nov 9, 2023
- 6 min read
Written by: Olivia Shakespear, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Eating large quantities of food, way past the point of being full, seems like an odd thing to do to say the least! So why is binge eating a problem for so many people? As a recovered binge eater, turned nutritional therapist and binge eating coach, I've discovered that there are many reasons why we binge.
What is binge eating?
Before we go on to why we binge eat, it is important to distinguish binge eating from simply overeating.
The NHS defines binge eating as:
eating a lot of food in a short time and not being able to stop when full
eating when not hungry
eating very fast during a binge
eating alone or secretly
feeling depressed, guilty, ashamed or disgusted after binge eating
If this occurs on a regular basis, then it could be classed as binge eating disorder
I would add in here that it's important not to get too hung up on exactly how much food classifies as a binge, as this will vary from person to person. There is a mentality that goes with bingeing, and the manner in which you eat the food. It doesn't always have to involve thousands of calories in one sitting.
Brain-based explanation
In all the years I looked for answers to my binge eating habit, I found that most solutions focused on either brain-based theories of recovery or solely on the emotional aspects. To be fair, I'd always assumed it was purely down to the emotions, and that for some reason I just wasn't able to handle them as well as other people. So when I discovered information regarding brain-based causes, it was hugely important for my own recovery.
When I talk about brain-based, I'm referring to the physiological mechanisms involved in the urge to binge. Fundamentally, it's important to realize that the only reason a binge occurs is because there is an urge, an impulse. These urges occur due to activity in the primitive part of our brain, within the brain stem and the limbic system. Our primitive brain is geared for survival, the desire for pleasure and the avoidance of pain. It's basically our reward system! Actions that we take based on this part of the brain's activity are more instinctive and reactionary.
The role of dopamine and opioids
It's important to understand that there are some powerful chemicals involved in our reward system. When the brain sees an opportunity for reward, such as with food, it releases dopamine into the limbic system. This makes perfect sense, because our brain needs to encourage us to engage in activities that are essential for our survival.
Highly palatable foods, such as those that are high in sugar and fat, flood the limbic system with a huge amount of dopamine, more so than a salad for instance. Basically, the sweeter the food the more dopamine is released. ¹ For binge eaters, the dopamine levels in the limbic system spike even higher than in non-binge eaters just at the sight of food. ² This is basically the same mechanism through which addictive drugs work. And over time, you need more food to get the same hit.
Whilst dopamine motivates us to carry out certain behaviors, it's actually opioids that are released in response to eating the food itself. ³ So the dopamine causes you to want something, and the opioids create that slightly dreamlike feeling that you get when you binge. Opioids basically feel like they are taking the pain away.
Why has the system gone awry?
The reason our reward system goes off kilter when it comes to using food as a reward, is often down to dieting. ⁴ If we don't give our brain enough fuel, our primitive brain becomes the driving force. If we are constantly going on diets, and falling off them then these habits become conditioned responses in the brain. So basically, someone might start on a diet in their teens, and eating too little to the point where the primitive brain kicks in and starts directing them to the most calorific and highly palatable foods. That person may then feel guilty and decide to compensate by going on yet another diet, thus deepening the issue. It's easy to see how this can end up in full-blown binge eating.
When I first realized that I wasn't crazy or emotionally inept, rather my brain had just learned some bad habits, I felt a whole lot better about the possibility of recovery. I realized I wasn't broken, and it was just a question of rewiring my brain (for more information on this please, see a previous article I wrote).
Things got a lot better very quickly, but I did realize that there was definitely an emotional component to it for me as well. This might not be the case for everyone, and the brain-based explanation might be enough for you to understand why you binge. Ultimately, I found that combining a brain-based approach with understanding potential emotional triggers I was able to recover.
Emotional aspects to binge eating
Whilst it's true that binge eaters will binge when they're happy or sad, when they're stressed or bored, and therefore I do feel that the brain-based explanation is essential for recovery, there is an element where too many emotional triggers at once can increase the urges to binge. And yes, you can dismiss the urges, but sometimes it can feel easier to anticipate when these urges will arise, and deal with the potential emotional triggers first.
Psychological reasons commonly given include low self-esteem, poor body image, lack of purpose, loneliness, depression and anxiety. ⁴ Stress is a big factor, and posttraumatic stress disorder can coincide with eating problems. I'm a big tennis fan, and I used to love watching Monica Seles. For those of you who aren't into tennis, Monica Seles was attacked whilst playing on court many years ago and I remember her talking about how her posttraumatic stress led her to develop binge eating problems. So whilst binge eating often develops through dieting and changes in the brain that result, there are definite psychological causes as well, particularly if someone has suffered a traumatic event.
But for most people, it will be general emotional and psychological triggers that over time habitually lead to overeating as a form of comfort or escapism. Once you know this, and you are also aware of what is happening in your brain and the fact that the urges are only a result of faulty pathways brought on by dieting, then it becomes easier to anticipate when your trouble spots may occur.
As an online binge eating recovery coach, I work with my clients to anticipate tricky times whilst understanding that they have the skills to dismiss the urges even if they do come up. And in fact, having the urges come up is beneficial to start with, as it's only through the process of dismissing the urges that we are able to rewire the brain.
Lastly, I would say that whilst this might not resonate with everyone, I feel that we are given challenges in life in order to learn and that we aren't given things that we are not able to deal with. Whilst I would rather it had taken less time to sort out my own issues with food, I am very grateful to all that it taught me and I don't spend too much time wondering why me?
For more information on how to overcome binge eating, download my free recovery guide or book a free 30 minute session with me.
Olivia Shakespear, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Olivia Shakespear is a Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist specialising in support for people with binge eating disorder and those who have an unhappy relationship with food. After many years of her own struggles, she created a unique method that is incredibly successful with moving people into a balanced way of eating. Olivia uses nutrition within a truly holistic framework, understanding that problems with eating occur due to multiple physical and psychological factors. She understands the pitfalls of applying a "clean eating" approach, whilst appreciating the incredible power proper nutrition has in healing the mind, body and soul.
References:
[1] https://journals.lww.com/psychopharmacology/Abstract/2012/06000/From_Disordered_Eating_to_Addiction__The__Food.12.aspx
[2] https://journals.lww.com/psychopharmacology/Abstract/2012/06000/From_Disordered_Eating_to_Addiction__The__Food.12.aspx
[3] https://journals.lww.com/psychopharmacology/Abstract/2012/06000/From_Disordered_Eating_to_Addiction__The__Food.12.aspx
[4] https://brainoverbinge.com/ https://d.docs.live.net/7d46810dea958a4e/Desktop/shorelineeatingdisorders.com/2022/09/30/what-are-the-psychological-reasons-for-binge-eating
