Do You Binge Eat?

Bingeing is eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g., within any
two-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than
most people would eat during a similar period and under similar
circumstances. Bingeing is also accompanied by a feeling that one
cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating. Binge
eating episodes are associated with three (or more) of the following:
1. Eating much more rapidly than normal
2. Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
3. Eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically
hungry
4. Eating alone because of being embarrassed by how much
one is eating
5. Feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed, or very guilty
after overeating

Binge eating disorder is a lifestyle. And a vicious cycle that might go like this: You're overweight or obese. Disgusted, you diet. You don't eat for long periods of time. Or you cut back to less than 1000 calories a day. You cut out major food groups. Your body senses starvation and screams for food.
Then comes the urge to binge. And nothing will stop you from eating. You may do it in secret. But you do it. And you gain weight. You feel more disgusted, and ashamed. And so you diet. You start all over again.

Test yourself for Signs of Binge Eating Disorder

During a “binge” have you:

1. Eaten with bad table manners (licking plates or scooping
out food with your fingers)?
2. Eaten canned food straight out of the can, frozen food
while still frozen, and/or food that was too hot?
3. Eaten food that was soiled or taken from the floor?
4. Thrown food in the trash but later picked it out of the
trash and eaten it?
5. Eaten food that you knew may have been spoiled?
6. Eaten food raw that was meant to be cooked (e.g., cookie
dough, meat)?
7. Eaten food from other people’s plates while you were
washing them?
8. Had diarrhea, intestinal bloating, belching, or flatus
because of the bingeing?
9. Skipped social or important events in order to stay home
and binge?
10. Hidden or saved food until you could be alone to binge
it?
11. Manipulated situations or persons so that you could
binge?
12. Acted or felt defensive about your food?
13. Taken extraordinary measures to secure binge foods
(e.g., late-night food runs, going shop to shop)?
14. Taken drastic measures to resist binges (e.g., drunk
liquids to “fill up,” eaten nonedible things first, chewed
and spat out food)?
15. After binge eating, have you ever punished yourself?

Answering yes to ANY of the questions indicates that you may have an eating problem Answering yes to MOST indicates that your problem may be binge eating disorder, and that you should seek medical and professional psychological help.