What is a Binge!

I hear folk talk about them all the time on here.  But exactly what qualifies as a binge. 

Would any day a person eats over maintenance be a binge?  Or can a person eat under maintenance and it still be considered a binge? 

I mean someone who is trying to maintain an 800 cal deficit with a burn of 2400 cals.  So the cal intake to maintain that deficit is 1600 cals a day.  So if that person eats 2000 cals in a day (still a 400 cal deficit) is that a binge? 

A binge really has less to do with food than it actually does with the reasons behind it and the behaviors that accompany it.  A binge is an uncontrollable earge to eat, usually junk, caused by some emotional problems, ie stress, worry, anxiety, depression, lonelyness, boredom, guilt etc.  It doesn't really matter how many calories you eat during a binge, its the fact that you are eating to numb yourself to whatever emotions you are trying to avoid.  Alcoholics drink, drug addicts to drugs, food addicts binge.  Not all people binge in response to stress or depression, food addicts do.  Its a really complicated thing in my opinion, and would really take someone to actually feel that uncontrollable urge to really understand it.  Sometimes a binge can feel like an out of body experience - when you're stuffed its like you all of a sudden "wake up" and are like "what the hell did I do."

That is an excellent reply!  thank You

This is the 2nd post I've read of men asking about binges lately, because they didn't know what they were.    I think women all must know what a binge is, probably because of our hormones.     It amazes me that someone has never had a binge. :)