Are you someone who fills his plate with more and more and doesn’t spare any opportunity to grab a snack? Does eating so much also make you feel stressed and depressed because the guilt of harming your health surfaces? Chances are you have binge-eating disorder.
Many of us overeat once in a while. However, such occasional overeating is not binge eating disorder. You have this expanded appetite problem when you are a habitual overeater who also feels guilt and stress because of the uncontrollable need to eat more.
Binge eating disorder is a mental illness which can up the risk of a number of physical ailments, particularly obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. But how are marijuana and BED related? Let’s dive into this below.
Weed and Overeating
Many people are of the view that consuming marijuana has a “munchies” effect. A symptom of this effect is increased hunger. Basically, a cannabinoid found in cannabis called tetrahydrocannabinol expands appetite. Some research also shows that weed makes food more delicious.
In fact, a Nature Neuroscience report said that certain compounds in cannabis can trigger neurons which are associated with overeating. This makes us think, can weed intake lead to binge eating disorder? No, weed doesn’t cause BED.
In fact, it is more plausible that the case is vice versa. Cannabis use doesn’t cause binge eating disorder, but BED leads to cannabis use. The explanation behind this is simple – overeating comes with stress and depression as well as low self-esteem.
And cannabis is known for its strong stress busting properties. By interacting with the endocannabinoid system of the body, cannabinoids can improve mood. Moreover, sometimes depression that arises out of binge eating disorder can also lead to substance abuse.
So, Does Marijuana Cause Overeating?
While cannabis has been shown to cause overeating, there’s no link scientifically established between it and BED. However, the more weed you consume, the more likely you are to overeat. And overeating is harmful in many ways. Not only can it cause digestive discomfort, but it can also disturb your sleep and make you put on weight.
Being overweight or obese can be very damaging for your health as excess pounds take your risk for many diseases up. To determine if you have binge eating disorder, the first step is to recognize the symptoms yourself. If you believe you or someone you know suffers through BED, talk to a doctor.
Many people have trouble accepting that they have this problem and even more so are not aware of what it is. Therefore, awareness is necessary. Doctors recommend people who have binge eating disorder to go for certain medications, psychotherapy, and a weight loss program. If you want to control or completely stop cannabis use, you can chalk out a plan with a professional.
Key Takeaway
Weed is linked to overeating however, not to binge eating disorder. Rather than cannabis consumption causing BED, it is believed that the mental condition leads to weed use.
