Eating Disorders

Compulsive Overeating Disorder is a mental health condition and behavioral disorder characterized by uncontrollable urges to eat when you are not hungry. Overeating disorder is a disordered eating condition. This means that it may not necessarily fall under the category of eating disorders, like anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or binge eating, but the behavior is outside of what is considered normal eating behavior. Overeating Disorder Vs. Binge Eating Disorder Overeating disorder is a compulsive behavior. The main difference between overeating disorder and binge eating disorder is the severity of symptoms and the frequency of binge eating episodes. Both can take a toll on your mental health, although binge eating is more severe.   With an overeating disorder, you may hoard or hide your food. You may feel embarrassed over the volume of food you eat and eat in secret. You eat even when you are not hungry, and this can cause pain, bloating, and digestive issues. Your weight may fluctuate, or if compulsive overeating is a consistent behavior, you may experience rapid weight gain. Your body image and self-esteem may decrease the more often you engage in the behavior and see negative physical changes. Causes of Overeating Disorder and Binge Eating Disorder Overeating disorder can have numerous causes. Stress and hormonal changes are common causes of the behavior. When you are stressed, you may reach for comfort food to fill an emotional need. Hormonal changes can drive cravings, leading you to eat sugary or salty foods when you are not hungry. If you are a woman, you may feel these changes more intensely, especially around your menstrual cycle. The week leading to the beginning of a period and the week of ovulation can trigger compulsive overeating. Often our emotional needs drive overeating disorder behaviors. For example, if you find yourself alone [...]