Article
Why does eating feel out of control, and what helps afterward?
The eating is rarely the hardest part. The hours afterward, and the promises you make to yourself, usually are.
The short answer
Episodes of out-of-control eating are commonly preceded by restriction, exhaustion or intense emotion. They are not a character failure, and the shame that follows tends to drive the next round of restriction, which keeps the cycle going.
The cycle underneath
Restriction of any kind, whether skipped meals, rigid rules or a long stretch of not eating enough, sets the body up to override you. Add a hard day and the override is more likely.
Then shame arrives and prescribes the very thing that started it: eat less tomorrow, be stricter, make up for it. The plan feels like accountability and functions as fuel.
What tends to help
- Eat regularly, including the next morning. Do not try to compensate.
- Speak to yourself the way you would to a friend who had a hard night.
- Look for the trigger in the hours before, not the minutes.
- Tell one safe person. Secrecy is what shame runs on.
- Get professional support rather than trying to willpower your way through the cycle.
What support looks like
Counseling addresses the emotional and cognitive side of the cycle. A physician and dietitian handle the medical and nutritional side. Together that combination is much more effective than any of them alone.
This article does not diagnose you, and it does not replace professional care.
Common questions
Is binge eating an eating disorder?
It can be part of one. Only a qualified professional can evaluate what is happening for you.
Why does it happen at night?
Long days of undereating, tiredness and finally being alone often converge in the evening.
Can this get better?
Many people make real progress with support. No outcome can be guaranteed, and the cycle is treatable.
Learn more about counseling for eating disorders and body image with Lori, or browse all articles on eating, food and body image.
Written by Lori Rasmussen, LISW, a Licensed Independent Social Worker licensed in the State of Iowa and a Certified Spiritual Director. Lori counsels women and female students in Waterloo, Iowa and online across Iowa. Articles here are meant to help you understand what you may be experiencing; they are not a diagnosis and they do not take the place of care from a professional who knows your story.
Reaching out can be the first step.
You don't need to know exactly what to say, or have anything figured out, before you contact Lori.
Or email rasmussencounselingandsd@gmail.com