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Can eating to much be an eating disorder?

35 Answers
Last Updated: 03/23/2021 at 5:07pm
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Top Rated Answers
cashmeredreams
December 16th, 2014 3:39pm
An eating disorder is an unhealthy relationship with food. There are different types of eating disorders, it can be eating nothing, eating too little, eating and purging, eating too much and even eating 'too healthily'. If it starts affecting most aspects of your life, when you find it difficult to do your daily tasks without thinking about food all the time, then there might be something going on there.
EmpatheticEar
December 17th, 2014 8:01pm
Definitely! Significantly overeating can be a part of Bulimia or Binge Eating Disorder. Binge Eating Disorder is newly recognized by the psychological community and the DSM 5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Both of these disorders involve binging which is rapidly eating a large amount of food in a short period of time. Occasional overeating doesn't mean you have an eating disorder. But frequent binging which feels uncontrollable and causes you distress may mean you could have an eating disorder. These links can explain to you more about these two eating disorders: http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=149467 http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=149448
Anonymous
December 15th, 2014 5:08pm
Only a professional could say if someone has an eating disorder, but binge eating/compulsive eating does count as a disorder.
BeautifulBeginnings
December 22nd, 2014 3:10am
Yes, it can be! It is called a binge eating disorder. It can be very disabling and just as harmful as any other eating disorder. It definitely is something someone should get help with so they can overcome it.
MusicGal
January 2nd, 2015 4:03am
There is such thing as disordered eating where for example, eating too much falls under. This is when someone eats more than they know they should. The 'eating disorder' version of this is called binge eating. This is when you eat large abouts to stuff down feelings. In conclusion, eating too much is only an eating disorder if there is a mental issue attached to it. Otherwise it is disordered eating.
Rowan92
October 10th, 2015 3:18pm
Yes! Discovering this lifted a huge weight (no pun intended!) of guilt, shame and despair off my shoulders. I am not a weak loser who failed every diet I ever tried, the diets failed me! It might be you as well. Take heart, take a deep breath, you are worth it.
Anthony974
May 8th, 2015 4:49pm
Possibly, it depends on other circumstances. Binge eating disorder is described as constant, compulsive overeating. If this matches what you are doing, it is possible you have a binge eating disorder. However, only a licensed professional can diagnose this.
SkinnyLove17
November 28th, 2015 2:09am
Yes it can be
Anonymous
March 23rd, 2021 5:07pm
Thank you for reaching out. As someone who has personally experienced feel compulsion to eat a lot, the answer is yes. Eating too much can be considered as compulsive overeating which is a type of eating disorder. To deal with emotional pain an individual may eat too much. Most of the time a person eats to distract them from something else. Ask yourself what triggers you to eat a lot - could it be feeling depressed, angry or sad. Consultation from a doctor or a dietician may be something to think about. Eating is one of the oldest known coping mechanisms for mental health and under compulsive overeating characteristics include eating too quickly to the point of discomfort, as well as eating when no longer hungry. Different approaches to treat this condition include Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT), Nutritional therapy and Psychotherapy. Charities and organizations dedicated towards those seeking help for eating disorders include The Eating Disorders Coalition, Obesity Action Coalition, Beating Eating Disorders, and The National Eating Disorders Information Centre (NEDIC). You are more than welcome to reach out to one of our listeners or therapists on our site for support. We would be happy to talk to you!
beYOUtiful365
- Expert in Eating Disorder
November 30th, 2015 11:51pm
Binge Eating is when one eats an enormous amount of food in one sitting and then feels regret about it later, but chooses not to stop. This action then becomes repetitive.
SamanthaFaith
December 1st, 2015 5:03am
Yes, I suffer from body dysmorphia myself. It's when you are very uncomfortable with your body. I used to not really care about my weight or what I was putting into my body but I soon realized that my body was a big deal and I need to deal with this problem. Eating too much can also become an addiction if you eat uncontrollably.
Anonymous
December 2nd, 2015 10:53am
Yes, an Eating Disorder is mainly an unhealthy relationship with food. Eating too much, or eating mass amounts at a single time can be indicators of an Eating Disorder. This may present signs of food aggression, binging or medical problems.
colourfulWind85
December 29th, 2015 7:12am
It can be if it is a evasive amount all the time it is called binge eating and what happened is you start eating cause your bored tired ect and you feel like you can't stop.
Anonymous
June 26th, 2016 12:44am
extreme over eating can be an eating disorder yes
carefreeNarwhal88
August 22nd, 2016 2:02pm
Yes if you binge eat you are maybe suffering from bulimia. If you're overweight and you know that you eat kuch more than a normal human then yes you maybe got bulimia
fruitySmiles21
September 5th, 2016 2:08pm
Eating too much can not be an eating disorder and long as it's not binging. Binge eating disorder is sometimes called compulsive overeating.
Anonymous
September 13th, 2016 12:57am
Yes, binge eating and overeating are both considered to be eating disorders. Both can be unhealthy, with consequences, but just because you do it once, doesn't make it a mental disorder.
Anonymous
September 26th, 2017 5:33am
Eating too much can be a eating disorder if the actions is making you have second thoughts (in a negative way) everytime it happends.. weightloss or gain is a physical symptom of what is going in our heads.. so one can have an eating disorder even if they're in a healthy weight or not
Anonymous
February 5th, 2018 11:27pm
Yes. Binge eating disorder and bulimia both have over-eating components. Overeating, especially when it causes distress, can be a sign of an eating disorder.
Anonymous
January 14th, 2019 3:04pm
Yes eating to much or overeating can be an eating disorder. While compulsive overeating involves having trouble resisting the urge to consume more food than is needed to stay healthy, binge eating disorder is characterized by compulsions and other symptoms occurring at least weekly for at least three months. Binge eating disorder involves regularly eating large portions of food all at once until you feel uncomfortably full, and then often upset or guilty. In many ways binge eating disorder is similar to bulimia however the difference between them is the compensatory behaviours that those with bulimia do after eating.
yancore
July 15th, 2019 6:22pm
yes, it can! there is something called 'binge eating disorder' which can cause someone to excessively consume food. this is commonly seen when someone eats a large portion of food in a very short amount of time, which can cause discomfort. some symptoms can be: eating much more rapidly than normal. eating until feeling uncomfortably full. eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry. eating alone because of feeling embarrassed by how much one is eating. feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty afterward. please also keep in mind, like other eating disorders, this is serious, and in fact, the most common eating disorder in america. if you think you could be experiencing this, please talk to a psychologist and/or psychiatrist. i hope this helps!!
Anonymous
November 25th, 2015 7:33pm
if you are binge eating regularly, then yes, i would say yes
EnergizingLove99
November 16th, 2015 2:42am
Of course eating too much consistently can be a disorder! I've struggling with Binge Eating for 6 years now. It's hard! Just like alcohol, drugs, or even working out or over working, food is very addictive.
Anonymous
November 9th, 2015 4:36pm
I believe what happens to our bodies is the outcome of our thoughts. And as so, I don't like to mention the word "disorder" a lot, because once you give this matter attention, it will be adopted by many people, and thus it spreads and becomes common; and if it's common; it's real, which however isn't necessarily true . So eating too much can't be a disorder; it's simply a way of eating.
Brittneym101
August 7th, 2015 4:22pm
Yes, eating to much can be an eating disorder. People get eating disorders for different reasons. Maybe they feel fat, underweight, under a lot of stress, going through depression, and so much more. Everyone doesn't have the same diet/meal plan so everyone's treatments for these eating disorders are very different. Here is a show that I came across on youtube a long time ago. I find it to be very helpful no matter what time of eating disorder you have. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGcst2mPwOc I hope you find it helpful.
Hibisca
July 28th, 2015 3:43am
Yes, eating too much can definitely be an eating disorder. Eating to the point of physical pain or feeling negative emotions such as guilt while or after eating are symptoms of binge eating disorder. If you feel ashamed or like you need to hide your eating habits, that probably suggests that you have a negative relationship and mentality around food.
GermanZebraCupcake
July 27th, 2015 7:04am
Yes, eating too much can become an eating disorder. This behavior is usually linked to emotional eating.
LendingEars
June 11th, 2015 8:01am
Yes it can. Binge Eating Disorder (B.E.D.) is characterized by compulsive overeating in which people consume huge amounts of food while feeling out of control and powerless to stop. It is just as serious as Anorexia and Bulimia, and if you or someone you know is struggling with B.E.D. It is suggested that you tell a trusted adult. For more information on Binge Eating Disorder: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/eating-disorders/binge-eating-disorder.htm
Leilah18
April 9th, 2015 7:02pm
Yes it can be a disorder , you may have heard of binge eating, it is like bulimia but without the vomiting
Anonymous
April 5th, 2015 4:54am
What you perceive to be too much obviously plays a role on what overeating is. Let's not forget that your body type and your level of activity plays a big role in how much you should eat. Last but not least, the kind of food you're eating too much of must be considered. Either way, overeating for emotional needs is classified as an eating disorder - otherwise known as Binge Eating Disorder. If you're eating very unhealthily OR you follow the binge & purge cycle. It's best to consult a professional immediately and find means to control your diet. Good luck!