I struggle with a binge eating disorder and I think I can explain exactly why one may be suicidal with a binge eating disorder. Well for me, I have a thyroid disease called Hashimoto's and I gain weight very very easy and don't lose it as easily as I put it on. I've been trying to lose weight for over 2 years now only to have gotten bigger and bigger. At first I'd try and my weight wouldn't budge regardless of diet and exercise and then after while of trying and trying endlessly, it started turning into obsession and depression. That's also when it started turning into this viscous cycle of restricting and then binging or even binging when just stressed about anything. I just simply want to feel confident and be healthy again but I feel like I'm stuck here forever in this dark hole of being overweight and I can't crawl out or have any control. It feels like living in a hell within your own body and mind. You just can't stand the way you look and feel anymore and wonder if you'll ever regain control. ever have your confidence and life back or be stuck in this dark hole of hell forever. Eventually you can't take it anymore and start thinking about possibly ending your life. I often wonder if many who suffer from a binge eating disorder also have thyroid issues and just dont know it... I'm wondering because I know for most, there is a big fear of getting fat. How come? Well maybe like me they know they gain weight super easy but don't know why exactly, so possibly its turned into a obsesstion to keep control over their weight.
The Link Between Binge Eating and Suicide
New research suggests that people with binge eating may be at increased risk.
Posted Jun 29, 2018

Could people struggling with binge eating be at an increased risk for suicide? That's what a new study suggests. While it has long been recognized that people with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are at increased risk for suicidal behaviors, little has been known about the risk for people struggling with binge eating and binge eating disorder (BED)—until now.
A recent study by Brown et al (2018) published in BMC Psychiatry suggests that people struggling with binge eating are at an increased risk of suicide, with those at higher weights having the highest risk. The study examined data from 14,497 participants in a large, diverse, nationally representative US database (the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiologic Surveys) and found that among participants with a history of binge eating (approximately 4% of the sample), 1/3 (34.2%) reported ever thinking about suicide, 1/5 (18.6%) had a history of attempted suicide, and 10.1% experienced suicidality in the past year.
Results were similar for those with a history of binge eating and those who met full criteria for BED, indicating that the risks of subclinical binge eating may be similar to the full-spectrum disorder.
Binge eating and BED were significantly associated with lifetime suicidality, and BMI did not explain this relationship. The relationship between binge eating and suicidality was stronger for women than for men. Results did indicate a significant interaction between BMI and binge eating on the likelihood of suicidality; meaning that those with binge eating who were at a higher BMI were at higher risk for suicidality.
Unfortunately, this study did not examine the role of weight stigma so we do not know what impact this has in the relationship between binge eating, BMI, and suicidality. Prior research suggests that weight stigma increases the risk of eating disorders and disordered eating, including binge eating and BED, and I imagine it also plays a role in the increased risk of suicidality for people struggling with binge eating who live in larger bodies. What do you think?
Alexis Conason is a clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of overeating disorders, body image dissatisfaction, psychological issues related to bariatric surgery, and sexual issues. She is the founder of The Anti-Diet Plan (sign up for her free 30 day course). Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
References
Brown KL, LaRose JG, and Mezuk B. (2018) The Relationship between Body Mass Index, Binge Eating Disorder, and Suicidality. BMC Psychiatry, 18: 196