Although not one of the defining features of a binge, some people experience a feeling of being "numb" or "spaced out" during their binges. Eating is not an unconscious act, but mental awareness is clouded. One of my clients described her experience this way:
I was alone at home last night feeling restless, bored, and lonely. I had bought two large, family-sized bags of M&Ms on the way home from work. I know I shouldn't have bought them but I just couldn't help myself. I began to eat one M&M after another, very rapidly. I felt as if I were in a daze. I felt robotic and machinelike. I realized what I was doing but, in some way, I didn't. This probably doesn't make a lot of sense but my mind just stopped working.
You may or may not have had such experiences but if you have, they are related to the loss-of-control sensations that accompany a binge. |
