Eating Disorders

  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Eating Disorders

Emotional Causes of Binge Eating

By Matthew Tiemeyer, About.com

Updated: April 22, 2007

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Binge eating causes many things to happen physically and mentally. When a person eats a great deal in a short period of time, that person rarely thinks clearly or recognizes what she feels as she eats. The stimulation provided by food and the constant attention needed to keep the food supply coming simply makes her too busy to recognize what is going on emotionally.

Binge eating is therefore an effective way to avoid negative emotions--sadness, anger, loneliness, anxiety, envy, and more.

After a binge, another negative emotion arrives--guilt--that becomes overwhelming and overshadows the rest. The original negative emotion is gone for a time. But the effect is temporary, and the emotional cost is high.

Back to "Are You an Emotional Eater?"

More Eating Disorders Quick Tips

Explore Eating Disorders

About.com Special Features

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.

Eating Disorders

  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Eating Disorders
  4. Risk Factors
  5. Emotional Eating Quiz
  6. Binge Eating Causes - Understanding Binge Eating Causes

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.