DR. WALLACE: Is there an eating disorder called compulsive overeating? If so, who gets it, and why? I've heard some of my friends and even family members discussing this recently. Apparently, there is a neighbor down our street that many people feel fit into this category, but those discussing the situation don't seem to know what to say or do for this particular person who may have this affliction. — Curious Teen, via email

CURIOUS TEEN: In the instance you've described, food is the obsession, and the victim suffers from overindulgence in food. Severe depression is also inherent in many who fit in this category.

There is more to overeating than gluttony. Sufferers often use the temporary satisfaction from food to soothe their inner turmoil regarding other matters in their lives. Unfortunately, this behavior only causes their turmoil to be heightened.

Overeaters far outnumber the amount of anorexic people; just look around, and you will notice this is true.

The excellent organization Overeaters Anonymous can help many who suffer from compulsive overeating. Through the guidance of this organization, many learn to come to terms with the terrible fear of their binging behavior becoming out of control.

It is an exhausting fight, a vicious cycle — overeating, dieting, overeating, dieting. For many individuals, Overeaters Anonymous provides tools and a community so that those afflicted do not have to battle overeating alone.

TRY ONLINE CHESS FOR NOW

DR. WALLACE: Two years ago, at my school, I joined the chess team. In that time, I have become a really good player and have enjoyed being a member of a group and a team. My parents are proud of me, but some kids at my school still call us nerds.

This past year, we used to travel to chess tournaments around our city and in areas a few hours away from our high school. It was really fun, and sometimes, we even were able to travel on a bus, kind of like a sports team!

But now, with COVID-19, there are no more chess tournaments in person and no more road trips. There are a few "online" tournaments and competitions, but one of my best friends who is on the chess team has told me that he doesn't trust online play. He thinks we might be playing against a computer program or against another person who is cheating in some way.

I tried to talk my friend into giving it a try, but he's really closed-minded on this topic. I'd kind of like to try it, but I'm wondering if it might really just be a waste of time, like my friend says. What do you think: Should I try it or just save my time and energy? — Chess Player, via email

CHESS PLAYER: Absolutely, positively continue on with your chess-playing! Maybe you can't be there in person, but you'll still get that rush of competition, and if you notice something is wrong, you can always stop and walk away from online chess.

As long as this is merely a friendly competition, and no money or entry fees are involved, I don't see the problem. You might be able to stay fresh and hone your skills further by giving it a try.

Someday in the (hopefully) near future, you'll be playing chess in person again. In the meantime, as time permits, feel free to give some online playing a try. You can actually use this time to experiment with new strategies and different ideas you may have been hesitant to try in person in the past.

If you approach this as merely an opportunity to stay fresh and experiment, you might find the results satisfying to some degree. Give a game or two a try with this in mind, and if you learn anything new, do share it with your "closed-minded" teammate!

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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