Ricky reports eating large amounts of food in short periods of time in a way that seems out of control. He reports that this excessive eating behavior occurs multiple times a day, every day. Ricky has maintained his behavior since college and has continued to the present day. Other than feeling lonely, Ricky did not report another immediate trigger for his behavior. Rick describes feeling "dizzy" or "lightheaded" after having extreme episodes of overeating. Ricky also reports having this binge eating behavior at night, when he is alone at home, when he feels bored and thinks about how lonely he is and wishes he had gotten married and had children. It is hypothesized that boredom may be another trigger for excessive eating behavior. According to APA (2013) boredom can be a trigger for recurring episodes of binge eating. Before going to sleep, Ricky engages in binge eating behavior to ensure he numbs himself and doesn't think about upsetting things. Negative reinforcement is hypothesized to maintain his excessive eating behavior. Ricky is particularly committed ...
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