What’s the Difference Between Overeating and Binge Eating Disorder?
Overeating, binge eating, compulsive eating, emotional eating - they all sound similar and yet culturally, they are used differently.
When these words with confusing connotations are thrown around loosely, it can leave you feeling confused about how to explain some of the struggles you face with food.
Why is it so difficult to define these terms?!
This is mostly due to fatphobia and weight stigma which are rampant in the medical system, and doctors often tell patients that they need to stop “overeating” or “binge eating” if they are at a higher weight (even though weight is not synonymous with health and even when the patient hasn’t expressed any concerns of binge eating) which isn’t helpful.
Doctors and and medical providers use these terms synonymously and loosely, without a real understanding of what they actually mean. And, these terms are arbitrary. Your definition of overeating will be different from the person next to you because there is no universally agreed upon definition of these terms and therefore, they are subjective.
Why does it matter to define overeating and binge eating disorder?
To be able to name and define disordered eating.
Overeating and binge eating are demonized by diet and wellness culture. It blames you for eating beyond what someone else has said is “the right amount” and tells you that you lack self-control because of this. The truth is - there is no “right amount” to eat, and you don’t lack willpower. This false blame causes you to feel a lot of shame and to feel like you have to figure this out on your own. This leads you, along with many other people, to not seek the help that you need and deserve.
Defining these terms brings a sense of clarity that can push you towards receiving help.
Whether it’s disordered eating behaviors (binge eating/overeating) or a diagnosed eating disorder (binge eating disorder), you deserve to feel validated in your experience with food. Naming the eating disorder or disordered eating can give you permission to accept that you’ve been struggling and this be a helpful reminder that you deserve to receive help and support.
To destigmatize normal experiences, like overeating and emotional eating.
Diet culture fails to tell you something that’s important to understand: these experiences are normal.Feeling like you overate is normal. Emotional eating is normal. Consuming more than you typically would is normal. These are all just a part of the human experience, and you aren’t alone. The way you eat will change daily and throughout your life.
Diet culture has demonized these food experiences, making you feel like you’ve done something wrong or that you’re at fault . In reality, we are all emotional eaters. We all eat, and we all experience emotions.
To pushback against diet and wellness culture’s definition of what your eating experience “should” look and be like.
Diet and wellness culture have an ever changing vision of what your eating experience “should” be: a specific number of calories, certain portion sizes, x amount of veggies, fruit (but never bananas), no carbs, etc. And it changes every. single. year.
Bringing awareness to diet culture’s misuse and misunderstanding of these terms allows you to reclaim your eating experience. You decide what you want to eat, when, and how much.
What is overeating?
The truth is - there’s no universally agreed upon definition of “overeating”. It’s an arbitrary, subjective word that isn’t helpful. If you search for the definition of overeating, the most comprehensive answer you will find is “to eat too much” which can leave you wondering: How much exactly is “too much”? Who decides that?
The term overeating is often used to describe eating occurrences involving particular foods that diet culture vilifies (chips, desserts, sweets, etc.). And by extension the message is: If you eat beyond what is considered to be a “normal amount”, you will gain weight.
In reality, using words like “overeating” creates shame and guilt, demonizes particular foods, and spreads fatphobic beliefs.
What is binge eating?
Binge eating is the experience of eating a large amount of food in a short amount of time to the point of discomfort and beyond cues of fullness. Binge eating is a disordered eating behavior, or in other words, a phrase to describe a pattern or behavior of eating that is considered out of the ordinary.
What’s perceived/subjective binge eating?
If you’ve been caught in a cycle of dieting and restriction, it’s likely that you aren’t used to eating enough food. This causes you to feel like you’re binging, when in reality, it’s not a large amount of food. It’s just more than what you are used to eating. This is what is called a perceived binge.
It’s important to note that if you do feel like you ate more than you wanted to, your feelings about the eating experience are still valid. It’s okay to honor those feelings, even if it wasn’t considered an actual binge.
What is binge eating disorder?
Binge eating disorder (BED) is a diagnosable eating disorder. Although people have experienced BED long before now, it was only recently added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). BED is characterized by:
Eating an amount of food that is “larger than what most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances”. *food for thought: although this is the technical definition of BED, it’s important to note the subjectivity of this definition. Again, who decides “how much” is “too much”?
Lack of control over eating during the episode
How are binge eating and binge eating disorder similar?
Similarities between binge eating and BED include:
Eating until uncomfortably full
Eating beyond any fullness cues
Feelings of shame, guilt, depression, or embarrassment after a binge
Binge episode occurs as a result of strong emotions
Feeling as if you cannot stop or lack control over the eating.
Similar signs and symptoms of binge eating and BED include:
Frequent dieting
Lots of empty wrappers, containers, or disappearing food
Eating alone out of embarrassment and shame
Social isolation and withdrawal
Concern with body weight and shape
Frequent body checking the mirror
How are binge eating and binge eating disorder different?
It’s helpful to think of the difference between binge eating and BED like the difference between disordered eating and an eating disorder. Disordered eating and eating disorders exist on a spectrum, and they differ in severity, duration, and frequency of behaviors. Disordered eating is a way to describe feeding and eating behaviors, while eating disorders are diagnosable, psychiatric conditions. Binge eating is a form of disordered eating, or a way to describe eating behaviors, while BED is a diagnosable, psychiatric condition.
While with binge eating alone, episodes are sporadic, isolated, and occur less frequently, BED instead is when the binge eating is ongoing and occurs more frequently. A BED diagnosis requires that a binging episode occurs at least 1 time per week for three months or more. Binge eating can turn into a binge eating disorder.
Binging may start as sporadic, isolated events, but these episodes can worsen in frequency and duration. When this happens, binge eating can into binge eating disorder. Despite slight technical differences, binge eating and BED usually begin in the same way: dieting or a “lifestyle plan” that leads you to the restrict - binge - shame cycle. For example, for many people it goes like this: You begin a diet and although it seems to “work” for a short period of time, you quickly realize it’s unsustainable. You finally cave, and find yourself binging on foods that you weren’t allowed to have in your diet. After binging, you feel embarrassed, guilty, and shameful, so you vow to start the diet all over again next week.
All the chaotic “nutritive advice” given to you by diet and wellness culture tells you what you should and shouldn’t do, giving you a one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition. It tells you that you should eat ____, shouldn’t eat ____, should do ____, shouldn’t do ____, etc. It’s confusing, and it leads you down a “health and wellness rabbit hole” where nothing seems to work and you feel stuck. All these “solutions”, like dieting, restriction, over exercise, etc., tend to lead to more binge eating long term and progresses to BED.
Do I need treatment if I struggle with binge eating, not binge eating disorder?
If you are struggling in your relationship with food or your body, you deserve support, regardless of the severity. You don’t need an eating disorder diagnosis to receive support. In fact, binge eating disorder is very commonly undiagnosed and missed due to weight stigma. (This is partially why it was only recently added to the DSM!). If you are concerned about the amounts or types of foods you’re eating, it’s a good idea to seek help from a registered dietitian who specializes in eating disorders, even if you perceive the situation to be fine. It’s okay, and it’s encouraged to dig deeper into your feelings about food, get curious, and ask yourself “why am I concerned?”.
Struggling in your relationship with food steals life from you. You may think about food constantly, feel embarrassment or shame about your eating patterns, and even socially isolate yourself from friends and family out of guilt or embarrassment.
You deserve a life free from the constraints of overeating, binge eating and binge eating disorder, even if you don’t think it’s “that bad”.
What can you do if you suspect you are overeating, binge eating, or have binge eating disorder?
Understand that it’s not your fault.
Diet and wellness culture, along with weight stigma and fatphobia, make you feel like you are “bad” or “wrong” when you binge eat or eat beyond your fullness cues. It’s not your fault - if there is anyone to blame, it’s diet and wellness culture and fatphobia. At Bravespace Nutrition, we can help support you in putting an end to this cycle of self-shame and constant criticism.
Learn how to challenge the diet mentality.
To heal from binge eating or binge eating disorder, it requires that you take a close look at the food rules you may have. Most people that struggle with BED are restricting, not overeating, even though the binge eating is happening despite what you may have been told. The food restriction must be addressed, and regular and consistent eating has to be part of the healing process.
Seek help from an eating disorder dietitian
This can be a scary step. You might feel like you’ve tried everything. And, we believe there is a way to stop binge eating and heal from your binge eating disorder! It’s never too late to seek help for binge eating, binge eating or binge eating disorder, and to unlearn diet culture.
You’ll also love…
Do you struggle with binge eating or binge eating disorder?
We want to help you regain control of your life and free you from the constraints of diet culture. Struggling with binge eating is hard and can feel so isolating, but you don’t have to face this alone! Our Seattle, WA virtual dietitians are equipped to help you recover from overeating and binge eating. Our eating disorder dietitians specialize in binge eating and have the tools and information necessary to help you mend your relationship with food. We would be honored to help support you. If you are seeking help for binge eating, a binge eating disorder, or body image struggles, schedule a free 15-minute discovery phone call today!