What Can Trigger Binge Eating? – 6 Ways How Binges Begin

So how do binges begin? It may seem obvious to some people and it may seem unknown to why they may be bingeing and what makes them keep happening again and again. Many things trigger binges. Under-eating and associated hunger

Some people who binge, especially those with bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa, eat very little outside their binges – This deprivation can lead to many undesirable effects, just the same to anyone who was starving him/herself. Strict limited on eating and eating too little creates massive physiological and psychological pressure to eat, and once the eating starts it is so difficult to stop – You could think of it like a dam bursting.

Here are 6 ways Binges can Begin:

1. Breaking a dietary rule

• Most people who binge also diet to an extreme degree, or at least attempt to do so. People struggling with binge eating disorder mistakenly think that dieting is caused by binge eating however the truth is that restrictive dieting can cause binge eating. Many people who binge go on restrictive diets about what, when, and how much they should eat. Unfortunately lots of unregulated influencers online promote restrictive diets that place people at risk of being eating disorder. Breaking rules psychologically increases the risk for a binge

2. Drinking alcohol

• Some people find that drinking alcohol makes them vulnerable to binge – This is because alcohol reduces the ability to resist immediate desires and interferes with the ability to stick to dietary rules. For example, you could plan to eat only a salad and after a few drinks, be abandoning all of the salad to have a full meal. Alcohol impairs judgement and causes people to feel bad that they broke their food rules – on top of that, alcohol makes people more gloomy and depressed, further increasing the risk of binge eating

3. Unpleasant emotions

• Unpleasant feeling of all types can trigger binges – Feeling depressed is a strong stimulus. Other emotional triggers include stress, tension, hopelessness, boredom, irritability, anger, and anxiety

4. Unstructured time

• A lack of routine in someone’s day can make someone bored and be prone to a binge. Boredeom can increase the risk of bingeing so having a routine may be protective from bingeing from boredom to get that high.

5. When you feel fat

• Feeling fat can be experienced by many women and men as well but the intensity and frequency of the ‘feeling’ tends to be greater in those who have an eating problem – whatever the person’s actually weight or shape. As obvious as it may be but we take little notice it, feeling fat can trigger binge eating.

6. Gaining weight

• Most people who are concerned about their weight react badly to any increase. A weight gain as little as 1lbs (0.5kg) can lead to a negative reaction and make the person feel as if he/she has failed – Feeling of failure can lead to bingeing because you’re thinking ‘what’s the point’. This reaction is based on misunderstanding! You’re body weight fluctuates within the day to day!

At the end of the day of over eating, most people either accept the episode as an indulgence (‘the naughty, but nice perspective) or having feelings of guilt and disgust. They may decide to compensate this by intensely restricting the next day by eating nothing or less as well as over-excersing – Then this severe restriction is followed by a binge leading a binge-eating cycle which can reduce your self-esteem and your self-worth the longer you are in it.