What constitutes a binge?

diannethegeek

For me a binge is defined by being out of control of my eating. The word is thrown around way to casually.

There are times that I know I shouldn't have that chocolate cake but make a conscious decision to eat too much of it anyway. This is not a binge. I made the decision and I will accept the consequences like an adult.

When I'm binging there's a little voice in the back of my head begging me to stop, to drink water, to fill up on veggie, to walk out of the house, to wait an hour, to breathe, anything. But that voice has no control over my body. I don't even recognize it as being a part of myself. I'm not eating for taste. I'm not even eating because it feels good. I'm eating to fill an emotional black hole that can never be filled. At that point I usually feel bloated and overly full. And I don't mean oh no! I had a big dinner fullness. I'm talking about feeling like one more bite will make me pop. And then I eat two more sandwiches. With peanut butter and cream cheese on them. And maybe some raspberries for the vitamins.

I once traveled to Kyoto during cherry blossom season. They had attendants at the train station to pack as many people onto the public buses as possible. Then we stopped at three more bus stops and even more people got onto the bus and then more and more. I couldn't move, could barely breathe. This is what a binge feels like. I just want the food out of my stomach at that point but I keep eating more, keep packing it in. I can't sit down without serious discomfort. I can't breathe without discomfort.

Binging is about more than just guilt. At the end, I still feel empty inside even though I'm so full. I feel disgusted and disgusting. I don't want to face myself and I can't stand the thought of anyone finding out what I just did. It's an act that brings on a lot of shame, not because of what I ate, but because I was so out of control during the process.

KANGOOJUMPS

amusing,

pluckabee

I am a big fan of not minimizing or dismissing psychological issues, thus my defense of the word "binge" as it relates to an actual disorder. A word is just a word until a larger meaning is attached to it. If you cut away everything but the paper definition, it becomes useless. Apply the human experience to it - the messy and often volatile struggle that people experience with the word - and it finally becomes useful.

I think the problem here is that you are suggesting that the word 'binge' doesn't have any valid meaning outside of the context of binge eating disorder which I don't think is true

EDIT: Although it looks like I might be wrong here...

quirkytizzy

I am a big fan of not minimizing or dismissing psychological issues, thus my defense of the word "binge" as it relates to an actual disorder. A word is just a word until a larger meaning is attached to it. If you cut away everything but the paper definition, it becomes useless. Apply the human experience to it - the messy and often volatile struggle that people experience with the word - and it finally becomes useful.

I think the problem here is that you are suggesting that the word 'binge' doesn't have any valid meaning outside of the context of binge eating disorder which I don't think is true

On a website in which people are struggling to eat in a healthy manner, I find it relevant to keep the word as used concerning eating in a healthy matter.

pluckabee

I am a big fan of not minimizing or dismissing psychological issues, thus my defense of the word "binge" as it relates to an actual disorder. A word is just a word until a larger meaning is attached to it. If you cut away everything but the paper definition, it becomes useless. Apply the human experience to it - the messy and often volatile struggle that people experience with the word - and it finally becomes useful.

I think the problem here is that you are suggesting that the word 'binge' doesn't have any valid meaning outside of the context of binge eating disorder which I don't think is true

On a website in which people are struggling to eat in a healthy manner, I find it relevant to keep the word as used concerning eating in a healthy matter.

I dont think a binge is ever healthy but there is uncontrollable binging, which pertains more to binge eating disorder and there are binges that... I wouldn't say they are controlled but they have more of an element of not caring to stop rather than being unable to stop.

I do agree that some people use the word incorrectly (I had an extra scoop of ice cream today!! I totally binged!!) which is incredibly flippant and not correct but it is important to note that actual binges can occur without having an eating disorder present.

mirrinias

Although I am in a "frenzied emotional state" when binging, like I can't stop, and I've lost complete control, I definitely know that I'm majorly overeating. For me, it's not about caring when I binge, I care very much and hate myself when doing so, but it feels as if someone else is forcing me to eat, almost.