The Difference Between Binge Eating and Overeating

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptoms of Binge EatingBinge Eating DiagnosisCauses of Binge EatingTypes of Binge EatingBinge Eating TreatmentCoping With Binge Eating

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Symptoms of Binge Eating

Binge Eating Diagnosis

Causes of Binge Eating

Types of Binge Eating

Binge Eating Treatment

Coping With Binge Eating

Binge eating involves consuming large quantities of food very quickly, even when not hungry, and to the point of being uncomfortable. Almost everyone overeats once in a while, but it can also become a disorder.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a serious but treatable condition that involves recurrent episodes of consuming large quantities of food. BED was formally added to theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-5) in 2013.

Episodes of overeating that are classified as binge eating can significantly and negatively impact your health and well-being, making it especially important to identify the signs and symptoms of binge eating and get help if necessary.

The Difference Between Binge Eating and Overeating

The two mainsymptomsof binge eating are:

How do you know if your overeating is just an occasional overindulgence or a serious binging issue? Some health experts may consider isolated episodes of binge eating to be normal. But if a habit of binge eating starts to have a significant impact on your life, it should be cause for concern.

In order to be diagnosed with BED, people must also experience marked distress, not engage in compensatory behaviors such as purging, and experience at least one binge eating episode once a week for three months.

In order to make a diagnosis, your doctor will ask you questions about your recent and past eating behaviors. Binge eating may vary in terms of severity. Some people may experience milder symptoms and binge eat around once each week, while others may have more severe symptoms and binge 14 or more times per week.

Complications of Binge EatingBinge eating can contribute to a number of health complications including:AnxietyDepressionDiabetesHeart diseaseHigh blood pressureStrokeMany of these health conditions are linked to obesity. Approximately half of all people with binge eating disorder are also overweight.

Complications of Binge Eating

Binge eating can contribute to a number of health complications including:AnxietyDepressionDiabetesHeart diseaseHigh blood pressureStrokeMany of these health conditions are linked to obesity. Approximately half of all people with binge eating disorder are also overweight.

Binge eating can contribute to a number of health complications including:

Many of these health conditions are linked to obesity. Approximately half of all people with binge eating disorder are also overweight.

The exact causes of binge eating are not known. Some of the possible risk factors include:

Understanding Binge Eating and ADHD

Not all excessive eating is the same, so it is important to distinguish between overeating and binge eating.

Overeating

Overeating happens to everyone. You might indulge in too many slices of pizza, go back for seconds of a favorite meal, or even find yourself consuming too much popcorn as you watch a late-night movie.

There are no set guidelines for how much food is too much to be considered “normal” overeating. If you overeat on one or multiple occasions, you may want to ask yourself a few questions.

The feelings binge eaters experience during and after overeating range from intense pleasure to disgust.

An example of overeating would be getting up to get seconds during a holiday meal. An example of binge eating would be eating a large amount of food in a short amount of time and feeling as if you were out of control.

In general, binge eaters tend to eat more often than those who experience the occasional bout of overeating. Note that continually snacking throughout the day (grazing) is not considered binge eating.

Binge Eating

In a general sense, binge eating differs from “normal” overeating in several ways:

Those who have a binge eating disorder may say they feel a loss of control over what and how much they eat during an episode of overeating. Some binge eaters say they feel driven to eat as if it were a compulsion that cannot be ignored.

Some binge eaters may hide food in odd places or even steal food from others. People may also eat alone due to feelings of embarrassment or shame over how much they eat.

Another key difference between overeating and binge eating: A sense of disgust does not make a binge eater stop eating. An overeater will likely listen to that voice and stop eating.

If you feel that your eating habits are unhealthy and/or if your eating is causing marked distress, there is good news. Effective treatments are available that can help people manage their eating behaviors and overcome binge eating. These treatments may include psychotherapy, medications, or a combination of both.

Psychotherapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT) are proven to be effectivetreatments for binge eating disorder. CBT focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns that contribute to unwanted behaviors.

Ask your doctor for advice or look for professional help in your community. By finding a qualified counselor, such as a licensed clinical social worker or psychologist, you will take an important step toward gaining control of binge eating.

Medications

There are somemedicationsthat may also be a valuable part of treatment. Medications that may be prescribed include antidepressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and drugs that help control appetite and compulsions.

Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine), a drug traditionally used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), may also be prescribed to treat binge-eating disorder.In 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of lisdexamfetamine in the treatment of binge eating disorder in adults.

Treatments for Binge Eating Disorder

In addition to getting appropriate treatment and outside support, there are also things that you can do that will help you control or prevent episodes of binge eating.

If you or a loved one are coping with an eating disorder, contact theNational Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Helplinefor support at 1-800-931-2237.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are coping with an eating disorder, contact theNational Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Helplinefor support at 1-800-931-2237.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

What to Know About Eating Disorders

11 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Eating Disorders Association.New in the DSM-5: binge eating disorder.APA.What are eating disorders?.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). 2013.Brownley KA, Berkman ND, Peat CM, et al.Binge-eating disorder in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Ann Intern Med. 2016;165(6):409-20. doi:10.7326/M15-2455Cleveland Clinic.Binge Eating Disorder: Management and Treatment.Bakalar JL, Shank LM, Vannucci A, Radin RM, Tanofsky-Kraff M.Recent advances in developmental and risk factor research on eating disorders.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2015;17(6):42. doi:10.1007/s11920-015-0585-xIqbal A, Rehman A.Binge eating disorder. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Hudson JI, Hiripi E, Pope HG Jr, Kessler RC.The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication[published correction appears in Biol Psychiatry. 2012 Jul 15;72(2):164].Biol Psychiatry. 2007;61(3):348‐358. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.040Murphy R, Straebler S, Basden S, Cooper Z, Fairburn CG.Interpersonal psychotherapy for eating disorders.Clin Psychol Psychother. 2012;19(2):150‐158. doi:10.1002/cpp.1780Guerdjikova AI, Mori N, Casuto LS, McElroy SL.Novel pharmacologic treatment in acute binge eating disorder - role of lisdexamfetamine.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016;12:833‐841. doi:10.2147/NDT.S80881Cleveland Clinic.Binge Eating Disorder: Living With.

11 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Eating Disorders Association.New in the DSM-5: binge eating disorder.APA.What are eating disorders?.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). 2013.Brownley KA, Berkman ND, Peat CM, et al.Binge-eating disorder in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Ann Intern Med. 2016;165(6):409-20. doi:10.7326/M15-2455Cleveland Clinic.Binge Eating Disorder: Management and Treatment.Bakalar JL, Shank LM, Vannucci A, Radin RM, Tanofsky-Kraff M.Recent advances in developmental and risk factor research on eating disorders.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2015;17(6):42. doi:10.1007/s11920-015-0585-xIqbal A, Rehman A.Binge eating disorder. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Hudson JI, Hiripi E, Pope HG Jr, Kessler RC.The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication[published correction appears in Biol Psychiatry. 2012 Jul 15;72(2):164].Biol Psychiatry. 2007;61(3):348‐358. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.040Murphy R, Straebler S, Basden S, Cooper Z, Fairburn CG.Interpersonal psychotherapy for eating disorders.Clin Psychol Psychother. 2012;19(2):150‐158. doi:10.1002/cpp.1780Guerdjikova AI, Mori N, Casuto LS, McElroy SL.Novel pharmacologic treatment in acute binge eating disorder - role of lisdexamfetamine.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016;12:833‐841. doi:10.2147/NDT.S80881Cleveland Clinic.Binge Eating Disorder: Living With.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Eating Disorders Association.New in the DSM-5: binge eating disorder.APA.What are eating disorders?.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). 2013.Brownley KA, Berkman ND, Peat CM, et al.Binge-eating disorder in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Ann Intern Med. 2016;165(6):409-20. doi:10.7326/M15-2455Cleveland Clinic.Binge Eating Disorder: Management and Treatment.Bakalar JL, Shank LM, Vannucci A, Radin RM, Tanofsky-Kraff M.Recent advances in developmental and risk factor research on eating disorders.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2015;17(6):42. doi:10.1007/s11920-015-0585-xIqbal A, Rehman A.Binge eating disorder. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Hudson JI, Hiripi E, Pope HG Jr, Kessler RC.The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication[published correction appears in Biol Psychiatry. 2012 Jul 15;72(2):164].Biol Psychiatry. 2007;61(3):348‐358. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.040Murphy R, Straebler S, Basden S, Cooper Z, Fairburn CG.Interpersonal psychotherapy for eating disorders.Clin Psychol Psychother. 2012;19(2):150‐158. doi:10.1002/cpp.1780Guerdjikova AI, Mori N, Casuto LS, McElroy SL.Novel pharmacologic treatment in acute binge eating disorder - role of lisdexamfetamine.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016;12:833‐841. doi:10.2147/NDT.S80881Cleveland Clinic.Binge Eating Disorder: Living With.

National Eating Disorders Association.New in the DSM-5: binge eating disorder.

APA.What are eating disorders?.

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). 2013.

Brownley KA, Berkman ND, Peat CM, et al.Binge-eating disorder in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Ann Intern Med. 2016;165(6):409-20. doi:10.7326/M15-2455

Cleveland Clinic.Binge Eating Disorder: Management and Treatment.

Bakalar JL, Shank LM, Vannucci A, Radin RM, Tanofsky-Kraff M.Recent advances in developmental and risk factor research on eating disorders.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2015;17(6):42. doi:10.1007/s11920-015-0585-x

Iqbal A, Rehman A.Binge eating disorder. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.

Hudson JI, Hiripi E, Pope HG Jr, Kessler RC.The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication[published correction appears in Biol Psychiatry. 2012 Jul 15;72(2):164].Biol Psychiatry. 2007;61(3):348‐358. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.040

Murphy R, Straebler S, Basden S, Cooper Z, Fairburn CG.Interpersonal psychotherapy for eating disorders.Clin Psychol Psychother. 2012;19(2):150‐158. doi:10.1002/cpp.1780

Guerdjikova AI, Mori N, Casuto LS, McElroy SL.Novel pharmacologic treatment in acute binge eating disorder - role of lisdexamfetamine.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016;12:833‐841. doi:10.2147/NDT.S80881

Cleveland Clinic.Binge Eating Disorder: Living With.

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