Binge-y Eating Disorder
What is the difference between an eating disorder and disordered eating?
To be honest, I don’t care that much about the difference since if someone’s relationship with food is subjectively distressing, that’s enough of a reason to take it seriously. But there are different ways of going about working through ED or disordered eating that make it helpful to differentiate. This episode will cover specifically the "disordered eating" version of binge eating disorder. The high-functioning binge eating disorder, if you will.
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Eating Disorder vs Disordered Eating
One of the most frequent questions I get is, “what is the difference between an eating disorder and disordered eating?”
To be honest, I don’t care that much about the difference since if someone’s relationship with food is subjectively distressing, that’s enough of a reason to take it seriously. But there are different ways of going about working through ED or disordered eating that make it helpful to differentiate.
The biggest differentiating factors are the severity and frequency of these behaviors surrounding food. (This is all on a continuum, making it even more complicated to discern.)
What’s also really important is the level of distress the behavior causes.
With any diagnosis, a clinician will look at how much it affects one’s everyday life and how much it is impairing relationships, work, and functioning in the world. This includes obsessions and the impact on mental and emotional existence that no one can visually see.
Despite the DSM trying really hard, the differences between eating disorders and disordered eating are not easily quantifiable. Which is why it’s important to talk to an ED professional about the nitty gritties.
Binge-y Disordered Eating
Binge Eating Disorder is a new-ish ED diagnosis, and it’s pretty common.
To start, here’s a mini definition of BED: frequent enough episodes of binge eating.
What’s frequent enough? See above rant.
What’s a binge episode? Eating a whole bunch of food in a short period of time, surrounded by a lot of shame, feeling way out of control, and eating way past fullness.
Obviously, this is a very simple version of the official diagnosis, but for the purpose of what we are talking about– that’s what you need to know.
Here’s where the binge-y comes in. Someone may not meet the official “criteria” for BED, but their food situation feels exactly or similar to what I described above.
So then what? They’re fine? Probably not. They are eating until they feel really uncomfortable almost all the time, they feel so out of control, they feel terrible about their body image, they are super obsessive. I wouldn’t call that fine at all.
Please know- this binge eating or “emotional eating” is just as much of an issue as anything else. It is time to get help. Right now. Just because a person does not fit the criteria of a specific eating disorder does not mean it is not already a huge problem. Get help for it. You do not need to get worse before tackling this issue.
IT ALREADY IS AN ISSUE.
You do not need to feel uncomfortable after every time you eat; it does not need to be like that forever.
Some Places to Start Thinking
Feeling compelled to finish off the plate: Imagine this- You are out to eat with some friends, and you notice they actually stop eating and leave food on their plate. Do you find that to be downright shocking? How can they not finish the plate?! If that’s you, just notice this. Then start thinking: What would it actually feel like if you left food on the plate? What stops you from being able to do it? What was said about finishing a plate when you were growing up?
Being anxious about feeling hunger: What is your relationship with feeling hungry? Is there a fear of feeling hungry? Even if you feel like, “Oh, that would be amazing to feel hungry,” there still may be something there.
Intuitive Eating
Someone who struggles with binge eating probably has a tough time with intuitive eating.
But what’s important when embarking on the IE journey is not to fall for the mistake that IE is just about hunger and fullness and eating what you’re craving.
You’ll get there eventually, but first, there needs to be a period of time where your body is relearning what normal eating is. Normal meaning with frequency, quantity, timing, specific food choices, etc. It’s really not practical to expect yourself to “eat intuitively,” at least not right away after your body’s cues and desires have been disregarded for so long.
Deep Dive and Journal Prompts
Going to my MO 😉– not just practical tips- let’s dive deeper. Reflect on these questions.
Do you trust yourself?
Is it hard for you to make decisions?
Do you know what your intuition is?
Who made you feel like you cannot trust yourself?
The Golden Question:
What are you hungry for that is not food? What are you missing in your life?
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Tweetable Quotes
“You do not need to get worse before tackling this issue. IT ALREADY IS AN ISSUE.” – Rachelle Heinemann
“You do not need to feel uncomfortable after every time you eat; it does not need to be like that forever.” - Rachelle Heinemann
“Someone who struggles with binge eating probably has a tough time with intuitive eating.” Rachelle Heinemann
Resources
Emotional Eating Episode:
More From Rachelle
Hey there! I’m Rachelle, the host of the Understanding Disordered Eating Podcast. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I work with clients to make sense of life’s messy emotional experiences.
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