What causes binge eating?
Binge eating or compulsive overeating is characterized by repetitive episodes of massive overeating. Natural, biological hunger cannot instigate a binge because no one individual ever requires the sheer quantum of food that binge eaters take in. So, what causes binge eating? Genetics plays a part in this condition. The tendency seems to run in families. But, the contribution of your genes comes into play only when you have other reasons to binge. Emotional hunger is the main cause of binge eating. According to some findings, more than 50% of binge eaters suffer from some form of depression. Generally, sufferers are victims of overwhelming emotional pain. Stress, boredom, anger, jealousy, pain and fear trigger episodes of overeating in some people. People with low self-esteem, disturbed childhood histories and lonely lives are most vulnerable to binging. What makes binge eating so formidable is the pattern it creates in the life of the individual. Emotional distress ==> Binge eating ==>