Binge eating disorder (BED) is generally recognized by compulsive overindulging or taking nonstandard amounts of food. The individual suffering from the disorder does not have the feeling to stop or control his food intake. Binge eating incidents are normally categorized to be happening at least twice every week for a period of half a year (Guerdijikova, Mori, Casuto, & McElroy, 2017). Even though BED can be experienced by both men and women of normal weight, it most of the times cause the development of unnecessary weight gain or obesity, that can increasingly heighten compulsive consumption.
People that suffer from binge eating disorders demonstrate feelings of revulsion and their conscience disturb them as they also often have a comparable co-morbidity like depression and worry. The negative emotional state that normally follows binge consumption often causes the individual to insist on taking more food to survive (Turan, Poyraz, & Ozdemir, 2015). This aspect creates a vicious cycle. Therefore, managed eating disorder treatments should be quickly considered to correct the situation before it becomes unbearable.
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Several people that struggle with binge eating could also be taking specific foods that stimulate binge occasions. Foods that are rich in carbohydrates and fats can motivate the discharge of the hormone called serotonin within the brain, which can prompt pleasing feelings (Hilbert, Hilderbrandt, Agras, Wilfley, & Wilson, 2015). On this basis, individuals that are suffering from binge eating disorder normally are inclined either towards meals that possess such elements, to feel comfortable or as a way of avoiding complicated challenges of life.
At the surface level, binge eating disorder may be seen as solely a food-related challenge. Nonetheless, it is more of a mental disorder than a food-related challenge. Mindfulness entails exercising a condition of cognizance and being aware of oneself, the current time, feelings, perspectives, as well as body sensations (Guerdijikova et al., 2017). Incorporating mindfulness skills in the treatment of binge eating disorder reduces the chances of an individual being involved in binge eating (McElroy, 2017). In fact, it enhances nutritional results, enhances weight management, as well as enhances the management of diabetes in individuals.
Symptoms and Diagnostic Criteria of Binge Eating Disorder
Behavioral symptoms of binge eating disorders can comprise, but not limited to secrecy around eating, disturbance about one’s body, initiating a vomit, taking diuretics and purges, taking less or many foods, etc. Physical symptoms include having a low temperature, missing periods for the ladies, abnormal shifts of weight, loss of muscle mass, experiencing tooth decay, and emaciating (Devlin, 2017). Cognitive symptoms include compromised thinking, fascination about the body shape and weight of models especially on media platforms, persistence and confusing thoughts concerning one’s weight (Shingleton, Thompson-Brenner, Thompson, Pratt, & Franko, 2015). Lastly, there are psychosocial symptoms that include reduced self-esteem, deformed body image, social seclusion, abrupt changes in mood.
The diagnostic criteria for binge eating disorder comprise repeated episodes of binge eating. A patient that manifests binge eating is one who eats in a distinct period, for instance, a frequency of two hours. It also includes a person who indulges in food that is beyond what they could take in a similar amount of time under the same circumstances (Shingleton et al., 2015). Such persons also lack a sense of control concerning their overeating habits within the episode. For instance, a person feels that he cannot stop eating or regulate what he consumes as well as the amount he eats.
Binge eating episodes are linked with any three or more of these: eating very fast than a normal person would do, consuming foods to the point that one feels awkwardly full, and taking large quantities of food and not being able to feel physically hungry. Some patients also take their foods alone because they despises or feel embarrassed about how much the others eat. The patient also feels sickened with himself because of how he eats a lot, causing depressed or disturbed conscience. The binge eating happens at least twice every week for a period of three months. It is significant to understand that weight or appearance is not a constituent of the diagnostic criteria for binge eating disorder (Guerdijikova et al., 2017). The physician can run a physical examination where he measures weight and height, check important signs like heart rate levels and blood pressure, examine the skin, nails, lungs, hearts, and the temperature etc. Laboratory tests can also be done to examine electrolytes and protein in the body of the patient, functioning of the liver and kidney (Hilbert et al., 2015). The physician can also perform a psychological evaluation where he will assess the thought, perspectives and eating habits of the suspected patient. The physician can also analyze an emotional self-report questionnaire.
P otential or Known Causes of Binge Eating Disorder
Potential causes of binge eating disorders are genetics, psychological health problems like reduced self-esteem and perfectionism, as well as societal challenges. Success and an increased self-esteem are equal to being thin in the present culture, as some people appreciate being slim. The society has put progressively impractical beauty levels on the present youth (Shingleton et al., 2015). The media depict entirely a specific body type - tall, slender, made up and trendy dressings to be the most valued. Peer pressure has frequently been a challenge for adolescent youths but presently the social media is taking a toll by taking these pressures to the next stage. Young girls are faced with images of perfect-looking models in newspapers and on television, and more so on their mobile phones (Turan, Poyraz, & Ozdemir, 2015). These ladies displayed through the various sources of media are deemed to have the most perfect shapes that should be emulated by the rest. Indeed, they even influence the fashions and daily life of individuals that endeavor to be like them.
The cell phones have brought the influence of the media even nearer, through applications such as Facebook, and snapchats. In these social media platforms, pictures are changed that influence others on the trendy clothes and body size they admire. The pictures on the social media and magazine depict someone that has attained an unachievable standard (Grilo, Ivezaj, & White, 2015). Teens that admire these images became frustrated about their bodies and their self-esteem is lowered, which cause them to develop binge eating disorder. About 50 percent of teenage girls and 30 percent of adolescent boys make effort to regulate their weight in an unhealthy manner (Devlin, 2017). In addition, about 25 percent of college-aged ladies agree to have utilized binging and purging as a way of regulating their body weight (Grilo, Ivezaj, & White, 2015). The incredible standards of beauty, which several individuals particularly the young persons are endeavoring to attain, are causing detrimental harms in our society today (Guerdijikova et al., 2017). It is eminent that these problems will insist to influence more individuals every moment.
Even though the exact causes of binge eating disorder cannot be established, some other factors could be the reason for the development of the disorder. The factors include biological abnormalities, psychological, social and cultural factors. Biological abnormalities have to do with hormonal changes or genetic mutations in individuals (Balantekin, Birch, & Savage, 2017). Such genetic mutations could be linked to compulsive eating and being addicted to foods. Psychologically, depression has been linked to binge eating. The aspect of someone yearning for his body to be as the models is a case of body dissatisfaction. Socially and culturally, there are traumatic circumstances like having a history of sexual abuse such as rape, which could predispose a person to binge eating (Hilbert et al., 2015). Social anxieties to be slim, which are normally steered through media, can stimulate emotional eating. People that have often been criticized by peers or family members about their bodies may be exposed to binge eating disorder; since they will be stressed and they will be eating out of the frustration to please others.
Treatment Options and Efficacy
Professional techniques utilized in offering support and treatments by health practitioners that specialize in the treatment of BED are the most effective manner to deal with the disorder. Health professionals that can be significant in the treatment of binge eating disorder include psychiatrists, therapists, and nutritionists (McElroy, 2017) . Professional techniques would include prevention strategies such as training programs that are meant to manage eating disorders in vulnerable people. General prevention can also be emphasized where cultural attitudes, as well as trends, are improved so that unhealthy eating habits are discouraged at their onset (Turan, Poyraz, & Ozdemir, 2015) . This technique would demand to offer public awareness and education and modifying the public policy as well as advertising routines.
Treatment programs have been successful over time in terms of helping people with binge eating disorder. Particular treatments that can be administered on binge eating disorder are Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Behavioral Weight Loss Treatment (BWL), as well as Guided Self, Help Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) (Grilo, 2017) . IPT has to do with intervention for depressing moments and entails passionate counseling sessions in which the counselor will recognize and address the interpersonal issues that come up or steer the disorder (Shingleton et al., 2015) . Behavioral weight loss treatment promotes modest caloric control and being involved in exercise activities. Nonetheless, BWL continually provides immediate weight loss; it is not recommended as one of the most preferred long-term treatment plans for BED.
Guide self-help is founded on CBT as an initial training alternative for many people diagnosed with binge eating disorder. Patients who have demonstrated reduced self-esteem as well as increased eating disorder psychopathology utilize it. CBT is done under the supervision of a counselor and the major concentration is for the patient to come up with a regular arrangement of modest eating utilizing self-examination and self-regulation approaches (Balantekin, Birch, & Savage, 2017) . The counselor’s major obligation is to leave the patient motivated and raise their self-esteem. In a 2017 clinical trial done for the treatment of BED, Guerdijikova and colleagues randomly selected patients to accept various kinds of treatments. Post-treatment effectiveness rates indicated that about 55 percent of patients that were exposed to the BWL treatment, 58 percent of them utilized CBT, and 63 percent who adhered to IPT were recovering well (Lydecker & Grilo, 2016) .
After a 2-year tracking of the patients, the recovery rates were taken for the second time. BWL indicated a 45 percent recovery level, CBT displayed a 62 percent recovery level and lastly, and IPT indicated a 68 percent recovery rate (Hilbert et al., 2015) . The trial determined that interpersonal therapy, as well as guided self-help behavioral therapy, is substantially more efficient than BWL treatment. This is because they effectively helped patients to eliminate binge eating from their lives for a period of two years; thus, the treatments should always be considered as the first alternative. CBT is a more expensive option when IPT is missing.
Treatment that utilizes guided self-help that is founded on CBT is very effective for other kinds of eating disorders such as Bulimia Nervosa than they are for binge eating disorder. Cognitive Behavior Therapy entails psychoeducation, self-assessment, monitoring and reacting to cues, opposing involuntary thoughts of engaging in binge eating, as well as reaction and relapse prevention. 40 to 60 percent of patients that utilize this type of treatment have also reported positive results and improvement of their condition (Devlin, 2017) . The major issue with CBT intervention is that it is not accessible to several people since therapists that have trained in CBT approaches cannot be geographically present in all regions of the United States. Again, CBT can be expensive to utilize and it may need more financial commitment than utilizing other treatment programs.
An effective treatment program should be adopted that tackle the underlying problems linked with damaging eating habits. The treatment program should one that focuses on the major source of the problem. It is significant to focus on healing from the emotional promoters that could cause these habits of binge eating. The program also entails appropriate guidance in creating healthier coping methods to solve stress, worry, depression, and among others. According to Devlin (2017), selective prevention can also be considered whereby the young persons that are exposed to the eating disorder are given much attention, as they could be motivated by the biological aspects (like genetic history) or social elements (high school aged females of age 10 to 13).
Targeted prevention is fundamental in stopping binge eating disorder as it focuses on adolescents that are susceptible and have clear and specific risk factors for experiencing the eating disorder. For instance, it includes adolescent females in extremely stressful circumstances as well as female athletes (Balantekin, Birch, & Savage, 2017) . Many women particularly in the United States have utilized universal prevention over the past, but it has failed to work effectively as expected as far as shifting the public agenda is concerned (Turan, Poyraz, & Ozdemir, 2015) . On the other hand, having selected targets on specific people has been found to the most effective prevention program so far.
Description of the Impact of Binge Eating Disorder
If binge eating disorder is not managed quickly, it has a very severe repercussion and possible lethal outcomes to the affected individual. Socially, the anxiety that the patient goes through on how he or she is perceived in the public as far as his or her eating habits or body image is concerned causes harmful withdrawal (Lydecker & Grilo, 2016). The patients prefer sitting alone and doing their things on their own to escape being undermined by society (Devlin, 2017). Their social relationships, cognition and the potential to engage with colleagues in the workplace become potentially challenging.
There are several impacts that are linked to binge eating disorder. Generally, these limitations cannot be noticed when the disorder is in remission. Nonetheless, patients that have an active eating disorder, usually have their occupational and academic greatly affected (Grilo, Ivezaj, & White, 2015). Past studies have confirmed that patients suffering from BED have a challenge of being attentive and recalling information (Hilbert et al., 2015). They have difficulty in concentrating on the assigned tasks. However, it is significant to note that as binge patients recover from the illness, such impairments or weaknesses are enhanced.
Research has revealed that those patients diagnosed with binge eating disorder have a challenge with neurocognitive functioning. Some scholars determined such deficits are because of the psychological aspects of the disorder, whereas others hold that variations in brain functioning determine metabolism in the body. Because of the impairment in the patients, they may not only fail to concentrate on tasks and retrieve information, but also be slow to process information as well as in their reaction time. A study by Guerdijikova and his counterparts (2017) was done to further investigate these neurocognitive limitations through administering many tasks to patients to examine their abilities like motor and memory skills. The impairments that the researchers established in this study were concerned with spatial memory, organizing and processing information that was presented speedily (Shingleton et al., 2015). Patients with binge eating disorder demonstrated poor skills that relate to spatial memory, organizing and processing information, and thus could not do well in occupational settings as well as in school.
Patients also have poor decision-making skills. They are not able to sacrifice immediate gratification for a future advantage. People suffering from binge eating disorder react to negative outcomes, however, they may not learn from the situation to enhance their future performances (Grilo, Ivezaj, & White, 2015). In addition, addiction to foods presents unique challenges so that the patient may need frequent shifts in health care as they seek for treatment. These disparities will probably have an effect on the performance of these patients because of the absenteeism and delivering poor quality (Devlin, 2017). Therefore, binge eating disorder has to be addressed earlier so that the consequences are avoided. It can even lead to death in its acute levels.
Social Stigma Associated with Binge Eating Disorder
Social stigma is brought about by the weight that the patients gain, which is an embarrassing state in our society. Even though binge eating disorder continue to influence many individuals with eating disorders and not just BED, several victims would rather withdraw from people (Turan, Poyraz, & Ozdemir, 2015). They would rather suffer in silence for a long time because of the feeling of disgrace or the social stigma that is all around them based on this disorder.
The society holds uninformed views and stereotypes about binge eating disorder. For instance, society assumes that obesity and diabetes are a consequence of binge eating disorder. This is absurd, since they even influence some patients that are in reality suffering from binge eating disorder to believe wrongly about themselves. The patients forget that if they are not underweight they are still safe, instead of considering immediate intervention to their health (Lydecker & Grilo, 2016). They may feel that their situation is still contained and may not be in need of help for their disordered eating habits.
All these perspectives are instances of how riskier it could be for social stigma concerning binge eating disorder and weight gain. This is so particularly for those suffering from binge eating disorder. In most cases, the diagnostic criteria for the disorder do not include weight, but rather emphasizes repeated and consistent behaviors linked with binge eating (Hilbert et al., 2015). In relation to the harshness of binge eating disorder, quick intervention is needed and much encouragement should be given to the patients, since many of them are reluctant to come to the limelight with their limitations because of boundaries that have formed by social stigma.
Conclusion
To fight binge eating disorder epidemic in the nation, a four-branched strategy can be adopted – heightened funding, education, research, and avoidance, and treatment alternatives. The government should consider such eating disorders with the seriousness it deserves and channel more federal money for constructive research as well as clinical trials to discover better diagnoses, treatments, and psychoeducation on the same. Education and early discovery of the disorder are critical to the prevention process. The government has the mandate to offer to fund for such efforts as well.
Selective and focused prevention must be incorporated in institutions, and the institutions have to prioritize high-risk young persons. In addition, more focus should be put on primary prevention that concentrates on children, and not just when they have attained an adolescent age. The physicians must be well conversant with various eating disorders and their management to be able to educate young people in the public school system. Discussions and awareness should be encouraged so that social stigma does not prevail over the patients. They should be encouraged on body image, diet and nutrition standards, physical exercise in place of a sedentary lifestyle, peer pressure and the falsehood of social media. Such interventions are significant in terms of managing binge eating disorder over time.
References
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