Sexual Abuse and Compulsive Overeating: FOOD ADDICTION

Sexual abuse is unfortunately strongly linked to Compulsive Overeating for some individuals in particularly women. Compulsive Overeating is an ADDICTION ...just like any drug or alcohol addiction. The DRUG is FOOD!

What is Compulsive Overeating?

Compulsive overeating is the excessive consumption of food (bingeing), often thousands of calories at a time. People with Compulsive Overeating have what is characterized as an "addiction" to food. They often use food and eating as a way to hide from their emotions, to fill a void they feel inside, and to cope with daily stresses and problems in their lives.

Bingeing is used as a release or responseto negative situations. For this reason, it is often called "comfort eating", although compulsive overeating can be far more serious than this. Binge eating temporarily relieves the stress of these feelings, but is unfortunately followed by feelings of guilt, shame, disgust, and depression. Binge eating, like bulimia, often occurs in secret. Often times, Compulsive Overeaters eat normally or restrictively in front of others and then make up for eating less by bingeing in secret. Not every compulsive overeater binges by eating thousands of calories at a time. Some may eat foods all day long.

People with compulsive over eating tend to be overweight, are usually aware that their eating habits are abnormal, but find little comfort because of society's tendency to stereotype the "overweight" individual.

Men and women who are compulsive overeaters will sometimes hide behind their physical appearance, using it as a blockade against society. This characteristic is very common in survivors of sexual abuse. They feel guilty for not being "good enough," shame for being overweight, and generally have a very low self-esteem. They use food and eating to cope with these feelings, which only leads into the cycle of feeling them ten-fold and trying to find a way to cope again.

Often women who are victims of sexual abuse, will use food unconsciously to add layers of fat as a way to protect themselves from attention of men. The excess weight becomes a false and irrational source of protection. Some of these women struggle with idea of feeling attractive if they loose weight, because they feel they will attract unwanted sexual advances. This terrifies them.

Sexual abuse, especially during childhood, is a leading risk factor for any eating disorder including bulimia. Since women are more likely to be victims of sexual abuse than men, it makes sense that they would be more likely to cope with the effects of their sexual trauma by compulsively overeating.

Symptoms of Compulsive Overeating

* Rapid and extreme weight gain

* Excessive consumption of food

* Buying large amounts of food

* Eating when hurt, angry or upset

Risks and health problems

Other health problems usually occur as a result of an eating disorder. The seriousness of the problem depends on the duration and severity of the eating disorder. A Compulsive Overeater is at health risk for a heart attack, high blood-pressure and cholesterol, stroke, kidney disease and/or failure, ruptured stomach (usually in extreme cases), strain on the body's organs, arthritis and bone deterioration.

If you and have a problem with overeating, or any other eating disorders don’t wait. Get help today from one of our Recovery Coaches here at Coaching With Substance CALL (7days) 07 560 66315 International Clients welcome. All assessments are strictly confidential. Web www.coachingwithsubstance.org.au 

EMAIL info@coachingwithsubstance.org.au 

We are Australia's leading award winning addiction treatment and rehab consultants for gambling, drugs, alcohol, sex, eating and internet addiction, along with eating behavioural disorders and co-dependency for Australasia and New Zealand.

Maria Pau is a 4x No. 1 best-selling author on the subjects of addiction and co-dependency and spiritual wellness. She is the Program Director of Coaching with Substance, the first of its kind in Australia as registered public benevolent institution, charity and not-for profit association that focuses on wellness using coaching principles of peak performance. We run a cutting edge holistic addiction treatment program and outpatient rehabilitation consultancy firm that ensures you are released from the shackles of addiction once and for all.

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