Eating late at night, not hungry but sick! 25-year-old woman needs psychotherapy, a silent danger that should not be overlooked
Eating late at night, not hungry but sick! 25-year-old woman needs psychotherapy, a silent danger that should not be overlooked. If left untreated, both body and mind will be destroyed.
A 25-year-old woman lives in a fast-paced city life. She has to deal with a stressful job. As a result, she has a tight chest and has no appetite during the day. However, after work, she vents her anger by eating without restraint, especially at dinner and in the middle of the night. Even though she tries to sleep early and control her diet, it does not get better. Finally, she has to see a psychiatrist and is diagnosed with “night eating disorder”. After taking medication, adjusting her behavior, and receiving psychotherapy, her symptoms gradually improve within 3 months.
What is this condition? Who is at risk?
Dr. Zhou Bohan, director of the Taiwan Psychosomatic Medicine Clinic, said that Night Eating Disorder is a disorder in which eating behavior and life rhythm are not consistent. Patients usually eat more than 25% of their total calories after dinner or get up to eat at least two times a week in the middle of the night. This symptom must be distinguished from overeating due to the effects of sleeping pills. If it continues for more than three months, it may be considered this condition.
This condition is found in about 1-2% of the general population, with risk factors from accumulated stress, abnormal hormone systems in the เว็บพนันออนไลน์ UFABET สมัครง่าย โปรโมชั่นมากมาย body, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are related to mood regulation, as well as a distorted melatonin cycle, which makes it easy to feel hungry at night, especially in people who eat at irregular times or regularly go to bed late.
Eat to relieve stress, not to actually be hungry!
Many patients do not eat because they are hungry, but use eating to cope with stress, emptiness, or negative emotions, such as feeling that if they do not eat they will be unable to sleep or that they feel better after eating, which clearly reflects a problem with managing emotions.
Night Eating Disorder is also related to atypical depression, where during the day, people feel sad, depressed, and unmotivated, but at night, they feel irritable and crave more food than usual. This can lead to weight gain, poor self-image, and worsen depression.
3 main approaches to treatment
Treating this condition is not just about “not eating late at night”, but requires holistic care, with 3 important approaches:
- Drug use:
- Use SSRIs to reduce daytime stress and control food cravings at night.
- Use melatonin to regulate your sleep rhythm.
- psychotherapy:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to address misconceptions such as “eating makes you sleep better.”
- Mindfulness therapy to learn to recognize true hunger and reduce emotional eating behaviors
- Adjusting life behavior:
- Eat three full meals regularly.
- Increase daytime activities, such as exercising or getting sunlight.
- Develop quality sleep habits
Night Eating Disorder is not a small problem. If left untreated, it can lead to more serious mental and physical health problems. If you or someone close to you has a habit of getting up to eat in the middle of the night regularly, you should see a specialist as soon as possible for proper diagnosis and treatment.