Do You Eat From Deprivation? Is it an Eating Disorder?
When most people hear the term intentional deprivation they instantly think of eating disorders in their most severe form. Deprivation eating comes in many forms. In fact, deprivation eating is often a result of overeating at times.
So why is this? Why do I feel out of control with my eating habits? Is this binge eating disorder?
Our culture has created a belief system that there is one right body and if you don’t have that body, you should be working towards achieving it. This belief system creates a platform for restrictive eating that is based on caloric intake, weight goals, and the body ideal.
Eating disorders develop in very sneaky ways.
If any of these thought processes apply to you, there is a good chance that you partake in deprivation eating. Deprivation eating occurs when your body and brain perceive that there is a limited amount of food. Even if your body is receiving enough food on a day to day basis, if there is a thought of, “I should not be eating this,” that sends a message to the body that there is the perceived threat of restriction. As a result, when you start eating you may find yourself overeating and feeling out of control. This comes from the brain and body’s belief system that, “if I don’t eat it now I may not get it later.”
When overeating occurs you likely feel guilt, shame, and blame for having overeaten, again.
Oftentimes, this is how binge eating disorder develops. From a foundation of restrictive eating.
Another way that deprivation eating can takeover is through actual, physical deprivation in the form of calorie restriction. From a similar standpoint as mental deprivation, physical deprivation sends the message to the brain that there is not enough food to go around. This leads to more severe eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and other mental illness.
Those that find themselves eating from deprivation will often welcome any nutritional advice so that they can stop their emotional eating, binging, deprivation, or feeling out of control. This approach will only further validate the guilt, shame, and blame when you are unable to meet your nutritional goals and only find yourself feeling more out of control with your eating habits.
Overeating can be driven by other underlying issues, there is no doubt about this. Although the most undetected form of overeating is that of eating out of deprivation. When we become more familiar with what is fueling our overeating we can work to heal it from the bottom up. You deserve to feel better and you deserve to feel freed from the chains of food obsession.
REACH OUT FOR SUPPORT WITH EATING DISORDER TREATMENT
If you are interested in learning more about how I work with individuals through eating disorder treatment, please feel free to read more here or reach out to set up a free 20 minute consultation. I look forward to hearing from you!
-Ellie