Binge Eating Disorder and Substance Use Disorder: A Case for Food Addiction

We review literature regarding the symptomatic and neurological similarities between Binge Eating Disorder (BED) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in order to make a case for the inclusion of “Food Addiction” (FA) in future versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). FA is defined by a markedly harmful and addictive cycle of compulsive eating, which requires professional intervention and treatment strategies. We argue that FA is a scientifically sound diagnosis due to the addictive-like compulsive overeating behavior that has major similarities with SUDs. Similarities occur among the symptoms of the disorders, the chemical components within the disorders, and the neurological details related to each of the disorders. Some symptom similarities include the descriptor of consuming “large amounts” of the substance (i.e., food), experience of dependence and withdrawal, and “self-medicating” behavior. We conclude that the compulsive overeating that defines BED is distinctively similar to substance addictions and that this consistent overlap provides reason for FA to be accepted as a diagnosis in the DSM. © 2017, National Academy of Psychology (NAOP) India.