The binge-and-restrict cycle
Content warning: This blog contains language that pertains to eating disorders.
Eating an amount of food that is significantly larger than what most people would eat in a similar period of time and under similar circumstances. Limiting one’s food intake or excessively exercising to relieve feelings of guilt. Lacking a sense of control during or following an eating episode. Eating until one feels uncomfortably full or sick. These are all symptoms of experiencing the binge-and-restrict cycle.
Furthermore, they are diagnostic symptoms of binge eating disorder. This is a severe, potentially life-threatening, but treatable, eating disorder that affects approximately 5% of the American population.
Binge-eating can result in high blood pressure, weight fluctuation, and gastrointestinal discomfort. Emotional consequences like social withdrawal, depression, and anxiety may affect individuals experiencing this pattern of disordered eating as well.
The binge-and-restrict cycle, specifically, can be caused by chronic dieting, emotional stress, poor body image, and irregular eating habits. The more frequent this cycle becomes, the harder it is to step away from it. Often, factors like familial history, psychological issues, and dieting can increase one’s likelihood of engaging in this practice. In serious cases, the binge-and-restrict cycle may develop into life-threatening eating disorders such as binge-eating disorder and bulimia.
Those who have suffered from this pattern of disordered eating have said the cycle overwhelms their lives — it has an addicting effect. Individuals may experience intense, sometimes planned episodes of bingeing. Then, the guilt and shame settles in which folks may feel it is necessary to redeem through restricting. Then the cycle begins with no end in sight.
The three steps to this cycle are restriction, bingeing, and the aftermath. When the mind unconsciously makes rules for the body, it panics. It may provide a very small time of relief from anxiety people experience. However, this almost immediately goes to binging as after hours or even days of restricting, one becomes emotionally and physically depleted.
Recovery is a lengthy process. But, there are ways to break this cycle. Through self-reflection, setting aside food restrictions, and eating consistently the day after a binge can be items of action to participate in ongoing treatment.
Additionally, committing to certain activities you can participate in daily such as developing a supportive network of peers, journaling, and meditation can be ways to cope or find treatment for this paradigm.
This is a very real issue that deserves to be addressed. I encourage you to become fully present and advocate for those who may be the victims of this cycle, and guide them towards the hope that things do, and will, become better.
