The Differences Between Binge eating, Emotional Eating and Overeating
Bingeing, emotionally eating, and overeating are all terms you have likely heard of.
you maybe have also used these terms to describe your own eating habits at times.
Often, these terms are used interchangeably.
And, while they share some similarities, they are all quite different. It can be helpful to know and understand these differences as you work to redefine your relationship with food.
Let’s look at, and break down, what each term means.
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Bingeing occurs as the result of an unmet physical or emotional need.
These physical and emotional needs could look like: not eating during the day and experiencing overwhelming hunger at night; Untreated mental health concerns, like anxiety or trauma responses that feel unmanageable and out of control; Eating throughout the day, but not enough to support your lifestyle and level of physical activity; Feeling things like guilt, shame, or a sense of failure.
It’s easy to confuse bingeing with overeating, but unlike overeating, binging is commonly identified with HOW food is eaten, not just how much.
Binging is commonly characterized by: Feeling like you are having an out of body experience or “blacking out” while eating; eating food extremely rapidly; eating in secret and hiding food and evidence of a binge; not tasting or having much recollection of what you ate; not being able to stop until you feel pain or physically ill.
Binge eating does NOT mean you have a lack of willpower!
If you struggle with binge eating, an important part of the healing journey is to show yourself compassion (you aren’t the problem!), uncover your unmet needs, and focus on how you can provide your body and mind what they need to heal.
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Emotional eating occurs when we respond to and cope with an emotion through eating.
For example, you may feel extremely sad or angry about something, and reach for food to try to soothe yourself, despite not feeling any physical hunger.
Most people associate emotional eating with negative and distressing emotions, but we can overeat when we feel positive emotions as well! This happens when we want to keep that positive emotion going, so we are more likely to seek out foods that make us feel happy or excited.
Emotional eating is a common way that MANY of us cope, but if it feels out of control, getting in touch with and being able to identify your emotions and alternative ways to cope and respond can help.
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Overeating can occur for many different reasons. Maybe you got a little too hungry, ate quickly to satisfy your hunger, and didn’t notice fullness cues until you were a bit uncomfortable.
Maybe you are eating your absolute favorite meal and getting very full is worth finishing every delicious bite on your plate.
Maybe you were distracted while eating your meal and weren’t able to feel your fullness cues.
Whatever the reason, it is important to note that overeating is a NORMAL human experience and is going to happen from time to time.
Getting in touch with what fullness feels like for, practicing eating mindfully (think minimal distractions during a meal), and doing work to remove any negative judgments surrounding feelings of fullness can all help manage overeating.
If you’re struggling with binge eating, emotional eating or overeating, I want you to know that your struggle is valid. And, that you are deserving of support and freedom from thinking about, worrying about and beating yourself up about food.
I’m an eating disorder specialist who is passionate about helping people understand and heal the roots of their disordered eating patterns.
Here to support you whenever you’re ready.
🧡,
Reclaim Therapy Provides Specialized Eating Disorder Treatment in Pennsylvania
We are a group of eating disorder therapists in Horsham, PA and online therapists in Pennsylvania. We specialize in treating eating disorders and the intersections of eating disorders and trauma. We are passionate about helping our clients reclaim their lives from patterns that no longer serve them. If you’re ready to reclaim your life from disordered eating and body loathing, reach out today!