I know this sounds like a no brainer but I have been eating to fast for the past 6 months, just here and there, like 5-8 times a week I will eat my meals to fast to the point where my stomach kind of hurts afterwards. But I always feel better within 20 minutes.

And so I ask, can doing this cause any long term, and I guess short term problems with my body? And if so, what?

The short term would be the pain you've been experiencing when you do it. There's also a greater risk of choking. It's also recommended a lot that you eat slowly because it takes your body a while to realize that it's full (so say the diet books). So I suppose long term you have a greater chance of gaining weight, maybe. If your eating quickly is causing you to eat more anyway.

What's the point of eating so fast? Why not slow down and avoid the pain?

You're shifting too much work to your tummy and it's protesting. It should be shared by your jaws. Chewing reduces the food and activates enzymes. You are sending food to your stomach in bolus chunks. Results in incomplete digestion and loss of some nutritional value, vitamins, etc. Not a big deal. Slow down.

Thank you so much great answers!