What is Compulsive Overeating?
Compulsive Overeating (or ‘food addiction’) is characterised by excessive thoughts about food, secretly planning or imagining eating alone, and frequent episodes of uncontrolled eating, or binge eating, past the point of feeling full. These episodes are typically followed by feelings of guilt and depression. Individuals suffering from Compulsive Overeating use food as a way of hiding from their emotions. Food is used as a way of coping with life stressors, overwhelming emotions, and providing temporary relief from feelings of emptiness.
Whilst most individuals suffering from this type of eating disorder tend to be overweight, it can also affect those in the ‘normal’ weight range. There are serious health risks associated with Compulsive Overeating, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnoea, and major depression.
Symptoms of Compulsive Overeating
- Rapid weight gain
- Uncontrolled food consumption (eating when not hungry and the desire to eat larger and larger quantities of food)
- Binge episodes
- Grazing (consuming food between meals)
- Eating alone due to feelings of shame or embarrassment
- Frequent thoughts about food and/or fantasising about eating alone
- Preoccupation with body weight (i.e. frequent thoughts about body shape, appearance, body checking, weighing self frequently etc.)
- Body dissatisfaction
- Low self‐esteem
- Feelings of guilt associated with overeating
- Depression, anxiety, and/or mood swings
- Social withdrawal (often a consequence of feeling embarrassed about weight)
- Awareness of unusual eating patterns
- Food hoarding (i.e. hiding food to be consumed in privacy later)
What can you do?
- Become more aware of your eating (i.e. keep a food diary and record your daily calorie intake)
- Learn to eat ‘mindfully’
- Do not graze (i.e. pick at food) between meal times
- Eat a regular sized portion when you feel hungry
- Do not use food to reward yourself
- Avoid crash dieting (i.e. restrictive dieting ‐ stick to a healthy eating plan)
- Do not force yourself to finish your meal if you are full
- Learn to say ‘no’ when someone offers you something to eat and you are not hungry
- Start to exercise regularly and aim for a more active lifestyle
- Be accepting of your own body type
- Do not be critical of yourself – be positive about any small changes
Professional Help
Like any other eating disorder, Compulsive Overeating is often a dysfunctional behavioural pattern stemming from psychological stress and other negative emotions. The therapist works with the individual to resolve these underlying issues and construct effective coping strategies, which ultimately allows the person to develop a healthy relationship with food.