Stress can have a multitude of effects on a person. It can affect a person’s usual way of functioning as well as his or her relationship with other people. Even more, it can also make it difficult for you to constrain unhealthy food habits such as binge eating.
When a person feels stressed, he or she often acts impulsively to address it. But for people who have an eating disorder, these uncontrolled impulses can cause them to skip on eating food or purge after they eat. Meanwhile, some result in binge-eating to address their stress.
Avoiding binge eating
Going on a binge eating treatment plan can help, especially when you have a doctor that you can talk to about it. Doing so will help you find the root cause that drives you to overeat. Another way to help you avoid bingeing is by creating a diary of everything that you eat. You can list all the instances that you binge eat and document what you feel when you did it. Once you identify the emotions that caused you to do it, it’ll be much easier for you to find healthier means to handle the stress.
The effects of stress in a body
A person’s body releases cortisol into the bloodstream when they feel stressed. This type of stress hormone causes a person to experience an increase in heart rate as well as breathing. Psychology Today says that once a person experiences high levels of stress, he’ll soon have problems with sleeping as well as his immunity. If left untreated, it can cause the person to develop high blood pressure or even heart disease.
People with binge eating disorder already have high-stress levels in their body. Adding even more to it only spurs them to consume food more. But how does it work?
The effects of stress for people with eating disorders
WebMD says that various factors can affect people diagnosed with eating disorders. It can include pressure coming from their peers as well as the society’s standard for achieving a particular body type. Failure to meet it causes them to feel ashamed of their body image. Thus, it only adds up to the cycle of stress that they currently have. There are several ways that people manage stress. Some use it positively by using it as a motivator. Thus, helping them live healthier lives. Meanwhile, people diagnosed with eating disorders use it to find activities that they enjoy.
A person’s body releases serotonin every time they eat sweets. That’s why most people refer to cookies, ice creams, and French fries as comfort foods. But these feelings are only temporary. Soon after consuming these foods, a person’s blood sugar would soon crush, leaving him or her tired for a while.
Stress is something that’s becoming normal these days. But it doesn’t mean that need to give in to it without doing anything. If you feel like your behavior is already affecting your daily life, then it’s best to speak to a professional about it. Doing so will help get a piece of sound advice that’ll help you manage your condition.
