Practice
What Your Patient is Thinking
Addicted to eating
BMJ 2019; 366 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l4776 (Published 21 August 2019)
Cite this:
BMJ 2019;366:l4776
Rapid Respons
Re: Addicted to eating
Eating Addiction Withdrawal Symptoms
Eating addiction can be due to biological, psychological, or social causes.
Biological causes are many, which include hormonal imbalances, abnormalities in various brain areas associated with eating and satiety (the extreme lateral part of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus), side effects from the use of certain medications, and having family members with this type of addiction issue.
Eating addiction can lead to many physical and mental health conditions.
Eating addiction can also be associated with withdrawal symptoms like difficulty in concentrating, insomnia, restlessness, irritability, headaches and
suicidal ideation.
Eating addiction can be treated with certain medications such as antidepressants and antiepileptic drugs like topiramate.
Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate is the first FDA-approved drug to treat binge eating disorder in adults.
Sometimes, many drugs are tried as "off-label" prescriptions for binge eating disorders.
Competing interests: No competing interests
27 August 2019
M.A. Aleem
Emeritus Professor of Neurology * Visiting Specialist in Neurology ** Consultant Neurologist ***
The Tamilnadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University * Dhanalakshami Srinivasan Medical College ** ABC Hospital ***
Chennai 600032* Perambalure 621212** Trichy 620018*** Tamilnadu India