Understanding Binge Eating: What if It’s Not All About Food?
- Laura
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Binge eating is often labelled as ''no self-control'' or ''being greedy'', but the truth is far more complex and far more human. If you’ve ever felt trapped in a cycle of overeating, guilt, restriction, and starting over “tomorrow,” you're not the only one going through this and most importantly, don't feel like you have to carry this all by yourself.
Modern neuroscience shows that binge eating is connected to how the brain responds to hunger, restriction, stress, and reward. (1)
In this post, I’ll break down a coaching framework of the two main types of binge urges, why they happen, and how you can begin to break the cycle in a compassionate, sustainable way.
What Really Causes Binge Eating? It’s Not Just About Food
Many people assume binge eating is simply “overeating,” but the brain can drive binge urges for very different reasons. In my coaching experience, these urges often fall into two broad patterns:
1. The Primal Hunger Urge
This urge comes from the survival part of the brain, the same system that kept our ancestors alive during famine.
It’s triggered when:
You restrict food
You skip meals
You diet frequently
You think about dieting
You label foods as “good” or “bad”
When your body experiences restriction or anticipates it, biological and psychological systems increase your drive to eat (2). Even if you’re not physically hungry, your brain may push you to eat larger amounts “just in case.”
In simple terms: Your brain interprets restriction as a threat and encourages you to stock up. This is why dieting often leads to bingeing; it’s biology, not weakness.
2. The Emotional/Reward-Driven Urge
The second type of binge urge is not about hunger at all. Instead, it’s linked to stress, overstimulation, boredom, emotional overload, or the need for comfort. Your brain can learn to associate food with relief, distraction, or pleasure, which strengthens these urges over time (3).
In today’s world, constant notifications, social media, and fast-paced entertainment can intensify the brain’s drive for quick rewards. Food is one of the easiest ways to satisfy that urge.
Why Binge Urges Feel So Confusing
You might wonder: “Why do I binge when I’m not hungry?” “Why do I binge even when I’m trying to be healthy?”
Because you’re not fighting a single urge, you may be facing both:
A primal survival instinct
A reward-seeking habit
Understanding this is the first step toward real recovery.
How Dieting Makes Binge Eating Worse
Even the idea of dieting can trigger binge urges.
When you restrict:
Your metabolism slows
Your hunger hormones spike
Your brain becomes hyper‑focused on food
Your reward system becomes more sensitive
This is why binge eating often gets worse the more you try to control it.
Your brain doesn’t trust restriction, so it rebels. (4)
Breaking the Cycle: Start With the Easier Wins
Before challenging fear foods or trying to fix your eating habits, it can help to reduce overall stress and create more nervous system safety.
You could start by reducing overall stress and overstimulation in your daily life. These practices help regulate your nervous system and emotional state, which can make urges feel more manageable:
Reduce mindless scrolling
Create small pockets of quiet time: walks in nature, journalling, gentle movement...
Limit overstimulation
Build simple, grounding routines
Binge eating isn’t only about food. Stress, overstimulation, and constant reward-seeking through screens can keep your nervous system on high alert, which can intensify urges. Building more regulation into your day — quiet moments, gentle movement, less digital stimulation — can make it easier to approach food changes with more stability.
Recovery Is Not Linear, and That’s Okay
Healing from binge eating is not about perfection. It’s about:
Understanding your urges
Rebuilding trust with your body
Reducing restriction
Calming your nervous system
Practising self‑compassion
There is no single “right” method. Recovery is personal, gentle, and experimental.
REFERENCES:
Treasure J, Claudino AM, Zucker N. Eating disorders. Lancet. 2010 Feb 13;375(9714):583-93. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61748-7. PMID: 19931176.
Polivy, J., & Herman, C. P. (1985). Dieting and binging: A causal analysis. American Psychologist, 40(2), 193–201. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.40.2.193
Mathes WF, Brownley KA, Mo X, Bulik CM. The biology of binge eating. Appetite. 2009 Jun;52(3):545-553. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2009.03.005. Epub 2009 Mar 20. PMID: 19501749; PMCID: PMC2694569. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19501749/
Kessler RC, Berglund PA, Chiu WT, Deitz AC, Hudson JI, Shahly V, Aguilar-Gaxiola S, Alonso J, Angermeyer MC, Benjet C, Bruffaerts R, de Girolamo G, de Graaf R, Maria Haro J, Kovess-Masfety V, O'Neill S, Posada-Villa J, Sasu C, Scott K, Viana MC, Xavier M. The prevalence and correlates of binge eating disorder in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. Biol Psychiatry. 2013 May 1;73(9):904-14. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.11.020. Epub 2013 Jan 3. PMID: 23290497; PMCID: PMC3628997.
Volkow ND, Wang GJ, Baler RD. Reward, dopamine and the control of food intake: implications for obesity. Trends Cogn Sci. 2011 Jan;15(1):37-46. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2010.11.001. Epub 2010 Nov 24. PMID: 21109477; PMCID: PMC3124340. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21109477/