Why Do I Binge Eat? Part 1

Marie

Jul 28, 2024 — 5 min read

You're going about your day when suddenly, you're hit by an overwhelming urge to eat. It's almost impossible to resist. You know it will end in pain; yet your heart races, your thoughts fixate, and you feel yourself start to act.

If you're reading this, chances are you've felt the grip of a binge eating episode. I've been there, and I know how frustrating, demeaning, and downright exhausting it is. But you're not alone in this struggle, and knowledge is power.

Let's dive into what's really happening in your brain and body right before a binge, and look at some practical ways you can regain control.

Brain Chemical Chaos

The moment the urge strikes is the result of several processes in your body and brain.

First, as a result of previous binges, your brain's reward and impulse control centres are out of balance.

Your brain is more sensitive to dopamine, the "reward" neurotransmitter, which spikes when anticipating food. This creates an intense urge to eat, similar to drug cravings.
Meanwhile, your serotonin levels in the prefrontal cortex may be lower than usual. This area helps regulate impulse control, so when serotonin is low, resisting cravings becomes harder.

Your accelerator is stuck and your brakes are failing. The urge to eat intensifies, and it's harder than ever to stop.

Blood Sugar Roller Coaster

When you haven't eaten for a while, especially if you've been restricting, your blood sugar drops. This sets off a chain reaction in your body:

Your brain detects low blood sugar as a threat to survival.
In response, your body releases stress hormones like cortisol. These are meant to help you deal with threats, but they also amp up your anxiety.
This stress response increases impulsivity and reduces self-control. Your brain is shouting, "Forget about long-term goals, find us energy NOW!"
You experience intense cravings, especially for high-sugar or high-carb foods. Your body is desperately seeking the quickest way to get blood sugar back up.

This becomes a vicious loop. You restrict, your blood sugar drops, you binge on high-carb foods, your blood sugar spikes, then crashes again... and round and round we go.

Hectic Hunger Hormones

Your body has a complex system of hormones regulating hunger and fullness. In binge eating, this system gets thrown off balance:

Ghrelin (the "hunger hormone") might stay high even after eating. Why? Frequent large meals can desensitise your body to ghrelin's effects.
Your brain might become less sensitive to leptin (the "fullness hormone"). This can happen when leptin levels are consistently high due to overeating, especially high-fat foods.
Stress and irregular eating patterns can further disrupt these hormones, making it harder for your body to recognise true hunger and fullness signals.

Result? You're left feeling unsatisfied, even when you've eaten plenty.

Feeding Your Feelings

Emotions can play a major role in why we eat, especially in binge eating:

Stress and anxiety: Cortisol increases appetite. Cue stress-eating a bag of chips after a tough day.
Comfort eating: Food soothes negative emotions. Think ice cream after a breakup.
Boredom or emptiness: Eating becomes a way to fill time. Mindless snacking while watching TV is common.
Celebration: Food becomes a reward. Birthday cakes, celebratory dinners - we mark joy with food.
Shame or guilt: Paradoxically, feeling bad about overeating can trigger more overeating.

Over time, your brain can learn to use food as its go-to solution for any emotion. These emotions often act as the initial trigger, setting off the binge eating behaviours that then take over - a tough cycle to break.

The Power of Habit

Our brains are excellent at learning patterns. In binge eating, certain cues become strongly associated with eating, even when you're not physically hungry:

Time of day: For example, late night might become your "binge time," triggering cravings as the clock hits 10 PM.
Locations: The couch might signal "time to snack," leading to mindless eating while watching TV.
Emotions: Feeling lonely could trigger an urge to eat, even if you've just had a meal.
Activities: Starting to study might prompt a desire to munch, using food as a study "companion."
Social situations: Entering a party might spark an urge to overeat, regardless of hunger.

Over time, these cues can trigger automatic responses. You might find yourself reaching for food without even realising it, driven by habit rather than hunger. Breaking these associations is a key part of overcoming binge eating.

How It All Comes Together

These factors don't exist in isolation - they interact and reinforce each other. Here's how a typical binge might unfold:

You've had a stressful day at work, increasing cortisol levels and throwing off your brain chemistry.
It's 8 PM, your habitual "snack time." This cue, combined with stress, triggers an urge to eat.
You start thinking about food. Your brain releases dopamine in anticipation, intensifying the craving.
You haven't eaten since lunch. Low blood sugar amplifies your hunger and reduces your self-control.
You give in and start eating. Disrupted hunger hormones mean you don't feel satisfied, even as you continue.
The act of eating temporarily soothes your stress. This emotional relief, coupled with the dopamine hit, reinforces the behaviour.

This potent combo can make urges feel totally irresistible, but understanding it is the first step towards change.

What Can You Do In The Moment?

When you feel the urge to binge, try these strategies:

Pause and Breathe: Take five deep breaths, counting to four on each inhale and exhale. This can help calm your nervous system and reduce the urgency to eat.
Delay and Distract: Set a timer for 10 minutes before eating. Use this time to do a quick chore, like sorting laundry or replying to an email.
Assess Your Hunger: Ask yourself, "When did I last eat? Am I actually hungry, or am I seeking food for another reason?" If you're physically hungry, it's okay to eat a balanced meal.
Emotional Check-In: Try to name the emotion you're feeling. Are you stressed about a deadline? Lonely after a night in? Bored with your routine? Identifying the emotion can help you address it directly.
Balance Blood Sugar: If you're genuinely hungry, have a balanced snack like apple slices with peanut butter, or whole grain crackers with cheese. This can help stabilise your blood sugar and reduce intense cravings.
Practice Mindful Eating: If you do eat, sit at a table without your phone or TV. Take small bites, chew slowly, and try to really taste your food. This can help you feel more satisfied with less.
Break the Pattern: If you always binge while watching TV on the couch, try moving to a different room or going for a short walk instead.
Self-Compassion: Instead of harsh self-criticism, try speaking to yourself as you would a struggling friend. "This is really hard, but you're doing your best to handle it."

Remember, these strategies take practice. They might not work perfectly every time, but with consistent use, they can help you gain more control.

Looking Ahead

This is just the beginning. Long-term recovery involves addressing deeper factors too. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we'll explore how past experiences, chronic dieting, genetics, and cultural influences contribute to binge eating patterns.

You've got this. One step at a time, you can break free from this cycle. It's tough, but you're tougher.