FIGURE 10.2 • Bingeing as Escape For perfectionists, bingeing can be an escape from aversive feelings. Being aware of imperfections (referred to as aversive self-awareness) causes emotional distress. People high in perfectionism try to decrease this emotional distress by focusing on immediate aspects of the environment (referred to as cognitive narrowing), which they attain through bingeing (Blackburn et al., 2006; Heatherton & Baumeister, 1991).