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Comfort eating or overeating

Comfort eating or compulsive overeating is almost as common in men as in women. It's the most common eating disorder for men.

Article by : SpunOut.ie

It’s thought that many more people suffer from comfort eating than bulimia or anorexia. Comfort eating means that you overeat a lot, but without trying to purge the food as people with bulimia do. You might feel that you’re unable to stop eating once you start, or you might nibble food constantly. 

  • Comfort eaters use food as a comforter. Maybe you eat when you’re stressed, feeling down, nervous, unhappy or just tired. Food becomes a way to escape from problems.
  • If comfort eating is out of control, you might eat two or three times the normal amount of food. Maybe you eat things like food you already threw out, half frozen food or uncooked food.
  • How often you comfort eat is different for everyone. Maybe it only happens once every few months or if you have a serious problem you might overeat several times a day. 

 

Here are some of the signs of comfort eating:

  • Maybe you eat until you feel uncomfortably full.
     
  • You eat very quickly.
     
  • You might eat a lot of food even when you’re not hungry.
     
  • You might feel embarrassed or self-conscious about how much you eat and eat alone to hide it. 

 

What happens if I comfort eat?

Comfort eaters are at risk of the health problems related to obesity or being overweight.

  • You might get into the habit of trying to diet, then overeating. You might feel guilty or hate yourself afterwards.
     
  • You might also feel guilty about comfort eating and try to hide the habit. 
     
  • You may feel out of control around food and feel unable to stop eating.
     
  • You might feel ashamed or depressed after overeating.
     
  • Comfort eaters are at risk of the health problems related to obesity or being overweight. These can include high blood pressure, heart disease or joint problems.

Bodywhys is an organisation that provides information, support and advice to those with eating disorders and their families.

See the help section for supportive information and contacts details of support organisations.

 

 

 

 

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