How is emotional eating disorder diagnosed?

An emotional eating disorder is diagnosed by a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinical social worker. The diagnosis is based on the criteria listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is published by the American Psychiatric Association.

To be diagnosed with an emotional eating disorder, a person must exhibit the following symptoms:

1. Eating in response to negative emotions, such as sadness, anxiety, or anger.

2. Eating in excess of what is considered normal or healthy.

3. feeling out of control while eating.

4. experiencing feelings of guilt or shame after eating.

5. eating despite not feeling hungry.

6. eating more than is needed to satisfy hunger.

7. engaging in binge eating, defined as eating large amounts of food in a short period of time.

8. engaging in purging behaviors, such as self-induced vomiting or the use of laxatives, after eating.

9. using food to cope with difficult life situations or to mask emotional distress.

10. experiencing significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning due to emotional eating.

The diagnosis of an emotional eating disorder is made by a mental health professional after completing a comprehensive psychological evaluation. The evaluation will include a review of the person’s history, a physical examination, and laboratory tests. The mental health professional will also ask questions about the person’s eating habits, thoughts, and emotions..Read Full Report

What are the signs and symptoms of emotional eating disorder?

If you have emotional eating disorder, you may turn to food to comfort yourself when you’re feeling stressed, anxious, angry, or lonely. You may feel out of control around food and feel like you can’t stop eating or control what you’re eating. Emotional eating can sabotage your weight-loss efforts and lead to weight gain.

The line between using food for emotional reasons and having emotional eating disorder can be blurry. Emotional eating is common and may not be a problem if it happens occasionally and you’re able to control your eating. But emotional eating can become a disorder if you frequently use food to cope with emotions and it leads to binge eating or overeating.

Signs and symptoms

Signs and symptoms of emotional eating disorder may include:

Eating when you’re not physically hungry

Eating to escape from problems or relieve stress

Eating to feel better, such as to soothe anxiety, depression, or loneliness

Feeling out of control around food

Frequently eating large amounts of food

Binge eating, or eating a large amount of food in a short period of time

Having trouble stopping eating even when you’re full

Eating much more rapidly than usual

Eating until you feel stuffed

Feeling guilty or ashamed after eating

Frequently dieting without success

Having a history of weight fluctuations

Having a family history of overweight or obesity

You may have emotional eating disorder if you’re preoccupied with food and your weight, you frequently diet, you have extreme reactions to hunger, and you eat large amounts of food even when you’re not physically hungry. Emotional eating disorder is different from an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, where weight loss is the primary goal.

Causes

Emotional eating disorder may be caused by a combination of factors, including:

Biology. Emotional eating may be partly due to genetic factors. If you have a family member with obesity or an eating disorder, you may be more likely to develop emotional eating disorder.

Emotional eating may be partly due to genetic factors. If you have a family member with obesity or an eating disorder, you may be more likely to develop emotional eating disorder. Psychology. Emotional eating may be a way to cope with difficult emotions, such as stress, anxiety, or depression. It may also be a way to avoid dealing with painful life experiences.

Emotional eating may be a way to cope with difficult emotions, such as stress, anxiety, or depression. It may also be a way to avoid dealing with painful life experiences. Social factors. Social pressure to be thin, especially for women, can contribute to emotional eating disorder.

Complications

Emotional eating disorder can lead to serious complications, such as:

Obesity. Emotional eating disorder is a major contributor to obesity. If you often eat large amounts of food, you’re at risk of gaining weight.

Emotional eating disorder is a major contributor to obesity. If you often eat large amounts of food, you’re at risk of gaining weight. Binge eating disorder. Emotional eating disorder may lead to binge eating disorder, a condition characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating. Binge eating disorder can lead to obesity and other serious health problems.

Emotional eating disorder may lead to binge eating disorder, a condition characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating. Binge eating disorder can lead to obesity and other serious health problems. Type 2 diabetes. Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. If you have emotional eating disorder and are obese, you’re at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. If you have emotional eating disorder and are obese, you’re at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Heart disease. Obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease. If you have emotional eating disorder and are obese, you’re at increased risk of developing heart disease.

Obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease. If you have emotional eating disorder and are obese, you’re at increased risk of developing heart disease. Mental health problems. Emotional eating disorder can lead to low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. If you have emotional eating disorder, you’re at increased risk of developing these mental health problems.

Treatment

Emotional eating disorder is treated with a combination of psychological and nutritional counseling.

Psychological counseling. Psychological counseling can help you identify the emotions that trigger your emotional eating. It can also help you find other ways to cope with these emotions.

Nutritional counseling. Nutritional counseling can help you develop a healthy relationship with food. It can also help you manage your weight.

Nutritional counseling can help you develop a healthy relationship with food. It can also help you manage your weight. Medications. Medications, such as antidepressants, may be used to treat emotional eating disorder.

Recovery

Recovery from emotional eating disorder is a gradual process. It may take time to learn new ways to cope with emotions and develop a healthy relationship with food. But with treatment, you can make progress toward a healthier future.

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