Teen Binge Eating Disorder Diagnosis

Almost 1/3 of women who seek treatment to lose weight have binge eating disorder. Yet this eating disorder — perhaps the most common of the eating disorders – is much less recognized than the eating disorders of anorexia and bulimia.

The typical perception is that an obese person is someone who just eats too much. Yet many obese people suffer from binge eating disorder – a form of emotional eating that overtakes their lives. Most people develop eating disorders as a coping mechanism for emotions and feelings that are difficult for them to handle.

The official definition of binge eating disorder describes a person who:

• eats very large amounts of food in a rapid manner
• within a short period of time (two hours or so)
• two or more times a week
• for a period of six months or more
• accompanied by a feeling of being out of control.

Less frequency or shorter length of time may describe binge eaters, which is a step below binge eating disorder on an emotional eating scale.

The most important distinction between overeating and binge eating or binge eating disorder is the feeling of being out of control. The feeling of loss of control lies at the core of the reason for binge eating disorders. Binge eating has become a way to cope with feelings, yet it doesn’t really help. Binge eaters have developed a habit of soothing or escaping from emotions through the use of food, but end up exacerbating their uncomfortable feelings in the long run.

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