Eating Disorders/Compulsive Over-Eating

[A.J. Mahari]

Compulsive Overeating: Dealing With the Feelings and How to Treat It

Dr. Deborah Gross, our guest speaker, is a board-certified psychiatrist and also the president of a company that helps people with compulsive overeating (emotional overeating, binge eating).

David is the HealthyPlace.com moderator.


BEGINNING:

David: Good evening everyone. I'm David Roberts. I'm the moderator for tonight's conference. I want to welcome everyone to HealthyPlace.com. I hope your day has gone well. Our conference tonight is on "Compulsive Overeating: Dealing with the Feelings and How to Treat It". Our guest is Dr. Deborah Gross. Dr. Gross is a board-certified psychiatrist in private practice. She is also the president and co-founder of Sea Star, a company that produces programs to help people deal with compulsive overeating (emotional overeating, binge eating).

Good evening, Dr. Gross and welcome to HealthyPlace.com. We appreciate you being here tonight. Can you give us your definition of what "overeating" is?

Dr Gross: Overeating is eating more than you meant to, or more than what is healthy for you. Compulsive overeating is a different thing. A compulsion is anything we feel driven to do in spite of knowing that it is harmful

David: What causes someone to compulsively overeat? Is it brain chemically oriented or is it more of a psychological thing?

Dr Gross: The head bone is connected to the rest of the body, therefore, usually both elements are involved. Compulsive overeating, in one sense is an addiction, like alcoholism or drug addiction. It's not a weakness or a moral issue.

David: So, are you saying that some people have a propensity to compulsively overeat?

Dr Gross: Yes. Newer research is showing that the rate of compulsive overeating is much higher with blood relatives who have other compulsive or addictive disorders.

David: With many addictions, like drugs or alcohol, the addict finds it almost impossible to help himself stop using the substance and therefore self-help is really ineffective. Does that hold true for compulsive overeating?

Dr Gross: Good questions. Relapse happens in all compulsive disorders and it is important to have help, like a coach or a whole team of helpers. Many of the same tools used in AA, for example, can be used to help yourself with compulsive overeating.

David: What about the emotional tie-in to compulsive overeating? I'd like you to address that, and then we'll have some questions from the audience.

Dr Gross: Feelings influence food behavior. It starts in the cradle. Baby gets hungry, baby cries, mama feeds and cuddles, so the connections is really strong. You must learn to emotionally nourish yourself well in all ways, because not all hunger is for food. Ask yourself "is it my stomach that is hungry or my heart"?

David: How would you suggest one do that-- nourish yourself in other ways?

Dr Gross: The first thing you have to do is, learn what your triggers are for emotional overeating. For example, if you are extremely stressed out at the end of the day, before you go to the fridge and eat everything in there, try doing things that are relaxing for you, like take a walk, a bath, call a friend. I tell my patients to move the body, feed the mind and lavishly indulge the sprit.

David: Here are some audience questions:

DrkEyes2 A: What is behind the addiction to compulsively overeat?

Dr Gross: All of the research indicates that the biological part of the problem lives in a place in the brain called the mesolimbic system. This place is very deep inside our brain, and it's very primitive, so it doesn't listen to reason. There are also some brain chemicals, like serotonin, which maybe involved, although there is a lot we don't know. Depressive disorders and anxiety disorders are problems for some people as well.

mazey: I want to get control over my food intake but it saddens me as I continue to eat foods that make me real sick. I have the intellect but my emotions take control. Having Borderline Personality Disorder, will I ever be able to get a grip?

Dr Gross: Where there is breath there is hope. Most people with Borderline Personality Disorder, have had lots of losses, and so it is tempting to try to fill the empty place with food. Working on making your relationships more healthy will probably be very key to you.

David: Is there any medication out there that can help block the "feeling of wanting to eat" or is it all on the emotional level?

Dr Gross: Numerous medications have been studied for this purpose. Meridia has helped some people.

kateviennaoh: I have been fighting my overeating and bingeing for most of my life, with only temporary success. At this point, I can't see any way of being successful long term. I don't see or feel any hope. I don't know what to do except give up and eat.

Dr Gross: Don't give up. You're worth more than that. A person worth is not measured in pounds. I have a chapter in my upcoming book about this and I call it "Priced by the Pound". Society does that to you, but don't do it to yourself, please.

David: And I think Kate brings up a great point here, doctor. Right now, society frowns on people being overweight. Some people are downright rude about it. How, as a compulsive overeater, can you deal with that emotionally, and not let your self-esteem hit rock bottom?

Dr Gross: Here's what I tell my patient's my motto is: "Always remember that it is perfectly possible to be perfectly wonderful without being anywhere near perfect".

David: For everyone's information, Dr. Gross has a website called Dear Dr. Deb. I want to address one thing about Meridia, there are some questions as to its safety. Are you still recommending that to your patients?

Dr Gross: It depends on the specific situation. Medically and psychologically, no medications should be used without careful discussion with your doctor of the risks and side-effects, versus the potential benefits.

David: One other question I wanted to ask, since you compared compulsive overeating with an addiction. With an addiction, the doctors say you are never really "cured," you just manage it better. Is that the same with compulsive overeating?

Dr Gross: Absolutely! That is an important though unpleasant reality. The difference between alcoholism and compulsive overeating is that while the alcoholic can stay out of bars, the compulsive overeater can never get away from food. I think that accounts for a lot of the relapse problems.

kateviennaoh: Are there programs like detox for compulsive overeating? If so, what, and where are they?

Dr Gross: I consider all highly structured diet programs to be similar to a detox. The research shows that sometimes it is helpful for people to take a break from making decisions about food, that is why many commercial diet programs have highly structured eating plans at the beginning, and allow more choices as time goes on.

jat: I'm tired of trying different medications. I was on Paxil for awhile. Then it wasn't working anymore. As I tried to taper off, I experienced withdrawal. I've tried Prozac, Zoloft, and they didn't work. I tried Zyprexa, Effexor and had bad reactions. How can I be expected to even be willing to try another drug? And then, there's the insomnia I experience. When I do take a medication, I then need something else to help me sleep. Presently, I'm just taking St. Johns Wort and that isn't working at all. Where should I go from here? Or do I even bother with medications anymore?

Dr Gross: I can't give medical advice of that kind in this format, but I know it is frustrating to try and try, and have so many problems. I assume you are trying these medications for depression. Nowadays people have so many options that sometimes it's important to be sure that the psychological factors are being addressed. The research shows that a combo of medications and psychotherapy is best for complicated situations.

David: Dr. Gross, you have a program to help compulsive overeaters. Can you describe it and tell us a little more about it? And how effective is it?

Dr Gross: My program is called "The food and feelings system for weight loss wellness". It can be an additive to any program for the diet math "the calories and exercise part". It starts with having your food and feelings profile done. This self-test identifies the 12 food and feeling or compulsive overeating issues that I've found to be most important. Then you get a teaching module for each one of these.

David: Here are some audience responses regarding emotional issues:

jat: I am dealing with overeating and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I was doing so well with food, then I had a hysterectomy about 2 years ago and have gained so much weight. Now body image is a major issue as well as depression.

mazey: I have fatty liver disease. My trigs. were over 1400. My liver stuck out of my stomach even when I was at my heaviest. Real sad. I have a lot of self-hatred and embarrassment. I try to not eat in front of people because I'm fat, and when I eat at home I hate myself.

susie: When I am deep in depression, I feed the need for more and more food, even though I know that I have just eaten.

caglel: At times, my desire to eat is greater than my desire to lose weight. Do you have any tips on motivation?

Dr Gross: I define motivation as "you, plus all available help". Think hard about what has worked for you in the past and what has not. Having a trainer or a doctor or a nutritionist to give you professional help is a big advantage. But motivation is mostly all about You. Write down your goals, and why you want to lose weight, and read it everyday. It has to be for You.

Dr Gross:   There is a reflex between your stomach and your brain. Think about puppies you have known. When you feed the puppy until it's belly is stuffed, it goes to sleep. Food is a very effective tranquilizer. Momma nature wanted us to survive, so she made us with a very strong connection to food.

David: If food is your "comforter" and helps you through the emotional issues, what do you replace it with?

Dr Gross: That depends on what the emotional issues are. If you have self-esteem problems you must learn to think more positively about yourself. Most of us are much better at doing this for other people, than we are for ourselves. I tell people to work on being a good momma to themselves.

Source: http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Eating_Disorders

[A.J. Mahari]

Binge Eating Disorder, Compulsive Overeating Criteria

Below are criteria to assist someone in determining if they have a binge eating disorder or are eating compulsively:

    * A person eats until they are so full they are uncomfortable.
    * A person eats large amounts of food, even when they are not hungry.
    * A person feels their eating is out of control.
    * A person eats alone because they are embarrassed about the amount of food they eat.
    * A person eats what most people believe is a large amount of food.
    * A person eats much more quickly during binging.
    * A person feels depressed, disgusted or guilty after overeating.

While no one is sure what causes compulsive eating or binge eating disorder, we do know that many compulsive eaters and people with binge eating disorder report feeling depressed. Another common thread is that many compulsive eaters and those with binge eating disorder also report sexual abuse. While these issues are not common to everyone, the vast majority report they tend to binge over feelings of sadness, anger, resentment, boredom, anxiety or joy.

Binge Eating Disorder Treatment

The goals for treatment of a compulsive eating disorder, food addiction or binge eating disorder are to reduce or eliminate eating binges and, when necessary, to lose weight. Because binge eating and compulsive eating are so entwined with shame, poor self-image, self-hatred and other negative emotions, binge eating disorder treatment needs to address associated psychological issues.

There is no one binge eating disorder treatment program that is perfect for everyone. There are as many different eating disorder treatment programs as there are eating disorder treatment philosophies. Take the time to match the needs of the person with the eating disorder with the eating disorder services provided in the actual eating disorder treatment program.

At a minimum, the binge eating disorder program or compulsive eating disorder treatment program should be licensed by the state in which it provides eating disorder treatment and J.C.A.H.O. accredited. The eating disorder treatment staff should be licensed and experienced in dual diagnosis treatment. Since many of the people that come into treatment for binge eating disorder treatment suffer from drug addiction or alcoholism, question whether the eating disorder program has the ability to provide safe and effective drug detox.

Lastly, does the binge eating disorder program have a comprehensive and effective psychiatric and nutritional component?  Most of the people in eating disorder treatment for binge eating disorder suffer from mental health issues such as depression, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder and post traumatic stress disorder (P.T.S.D.)  The more unstable the person is from an emotional perspective, the more likely they are to return to binge eating.

Source: http://www.edtreatmentcenters.com

[A.J. Mahari]

Compulsive overeating

Compulsive Overeating is a condition where people are addicted to food. They have frequent episodes of uncontrollable eating, even throwing-up, making them feel out of control. I will be telling you about 3 things they do. Those things are what they do, the signs of overeating, and when it starts.

When they do when they have this disorder is very serious. They eat at a very quick rate. They keep eating, even past the point of being uncomfortably full. They often take on in a grazing behavior by returning to pick at food over and over throughout the day. The outcome of this is a large number of calories being eaten even if they are small portions when they are eaten.

The signs of compulsive overeating may be difficult to see, but they are there. A couple of them are fear of not being able to control eating, while eating not being able to stop, isolation. They have a fear of eating around and with others. They usually go on continual dieting with a lot of popular dieting plans. Hiding food in irregular places is a big sign. These are a couple out of a lot of signs for compulsive overeating.

This eating disorder usually starts in childhood, when eating habits start to form. Most of the people with this disorder particularly never learned a effective way to deal with stressful situations, and instead leaned towards food as a way of blocking painful emotions away. Even though most people try to lose weight through dieting this usually causes more depression making them go back to the only way they know how to handle it, by eating. They start to throw-up again and unless the problem is resolved they will probably keep doing it.

Eating disorders are very bad and this is one of them. It starts out when you’re a kid and keeps on staying with you. You try to control it, but cant. It is a very sad ting that people go through. This disorder is somewhat like bulimia because they binge, but it has a completely different cause.

Source: http://bambieambie.wordpress.com/

[A.J. Mahari]

Compulsive Eating:

People suffering with Compulsive Overeating have what is characterized as an "addiction" to food, using food and eating as a way to hide from their emotions, to fill a void they feel inside, and to cope with daily stresses and problems in their lives. Compulsive Eaters are usually aware that their eating habits are abnormal, but find little comfort because of society's tendency to stereotype the "overweight" individual. Words like, "just go on a diet" are as emotionally devastating to a person suffering Compulsive Overeating as "just eat" can be to a person suffering Anorexia.

Physical Signs/Symptoms:

   1. Weight gain.
   2. Leg and joint pain.
   3. Decreased mobility due to weight gain.
   4. Insomnia. Poor Sleeping Habits.

Psychological Symptoms:

   1. Fear of not being able to control eating, and while eating, not being able to stop.
   2. Holding the belief that life will be better if they can lose weight.
   3. Vague or secretive eating patterns.

Physical Consequences:

   1. Overweight
   2. Heart attack
   3. high blood-pressure and cholesterol
   4. Kidney disease and/or failure
   5. Arthritis and bone deterioration
   6. Stroke
   7. Very low self-esteem

Treatment Options:

   1. Psychotherapy
   2. Possible hospitalization to treat electrolyte imbalance
   3. Admission to treatment center that specifically deals with eating disorders

Source: http://www.thewellnessplex.com/

[A.J. Mahari]

Compulsive Overeating
Written by: Colleen Thompson

Definition

Compulsive overeating is characterized by uncontrollable eating and consequent weight gain. Compulsive overeaters use food as a way to cope with stress, emotional conflicts and daily problems. The food can block out feelings and emotions. Compulsive overeaters usually feel out of control and are aware their eating patterns are abnormal. Like bulimics, compulsive overeaters do recognize they have a problem.

Compulsive overeating usually starts in early childhood when eating patterns are formed. Most people who become compulsive eaters are people who never learned the proper way to deal with stressful situations and used food instead as a way of coping. Fat can also serve as a protective function for them, especially in people that have been victims of sexual abuse. They sometimes feel that being overweight will keep others at a distance and make them less attractive. Unlike anorexia and bulimia, there is a high proportion of male overeaters.

The more weight that is gained, the harder they try to diet and dieting is usually what leads to the next binge, which can be followed by feelings of powerlessness, guilt, shame and failure. Dieting and bingeing can go on forever if the emotional reasons for the bingeing is not dealt with.

In today's society, compulsive overeating is not yet taken seriously enough. Instead of being treated for the serious problem they have, they are instead directed to diet centers and health spas. Like anorexia and bulimia, compulsive overeating is a serious problem and can result in death. With the proper treatment, which should include therapy, medical and nutritional counseling, it can be overcome.

Signs and Symptoms

    * Binge eating
    * Fear of not being able to stop eating voluntarily
    * Depression
    * Self-deprecating thoughts following binges
    * Withdrawing from activities because of embarrassment about weight
    * Going on many different diets
    * Eating little in public, while maintaining a high weight
    * Believing they will be a better person when thin
    * Feelings about self based on weight
    * Social and professional failures attributed to weight
    * Feeling tormented by eating habits
    * Weight is focus of life

Physical/Medical Complications

    * Weight gain
    * Hypertension or fatigue
    * Heart ailments
    * Mobility problems
    * Diabetes
    * Arthritis
    * Sciatica
    * Varicose veins
    * Hiatal hernia
    * Embolism
    * Sleep depravation
    * Toxemia during pregnancy
    * High blood pressure
    * Shortness of breath
    * High Cholesterol levels
    * Cardiac arrest and death

 Source: http://www.mirror-mirror.org/