Compulsive Overeating
& Food Addiction
A person with compulsive
overeating disorder will tend to be overweight, and is usually aware that their eating habits are abnormal. Words like, “just go on a diet” can be emotionally devastating to a person suffering from compulsive overeating, as it is not so much an issue with food consumption as with methods of living life on life’s terms and healthfully coping with emotional stresses.
Compulsive overeating can also be characterized as a food addiction. To the food addict, eating becomes a way to hide from or manage emotions, to fill a void inside, or to cope with daily stress. In essence, a compulsive overeater seeks emotional comfort in food.