Binge Eating Disorder

Hopeful Treatment for Eating Disorders

Feel stuck in a cycle of overeating, shame, and secrecy? You’re not alone ~ and there is a way out.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder in the United States, affecting more men and women than anorexia and bulimia combined! Yet, many people live with it in silence.

Unlike emotional eating, BED is a diagnosable eating disorder characterized by the following diagnostic criteria:

  • Eating an amount of food within a 2-hour time period that is larger than what most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances
  • Feeling out of control while eating and/or like you can’t stop
  • This type of eating happens at least once a week for at least 3 months
  • 3 or more of the following factors are present:
    • Eating much faster than normal
    • Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
    • Eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry
    • Eating alone because of feeling embarrassed by how much is being eaten
    • Feeling disgusted with yourself, depressed, or very guilty afterward

It’s very important to understand that BED is not about a lack of willpower, and it has nothing to do with appetite or hunger.

It’s often a response to deeper emotional pain, unprocessed trauma, beliefs about self-worth, and unmet psychological needs. Over time, BED can lead to emotional distress, low self-esteem, and physical health concerns.

How Treatment for BED Can Help

Healing from binge eating starts with compassion, not control. In therapy, we create a nonjudgmental space to explore the root causes of your binge eating and gently begin to untangle the emotional patterns associated with food that are keeping you stuck.

You and your therapist may work on:

  • Understanding your binge eating triggers and emotional cues
  • Building distress tolerance and emotional regulation skills
  • Processing trauma or unmet needs that fuel the behavior
  • Relationship Issues (e.g., family-of-origin, romantic/marriage, friendships)
  • Depression and/or anxiety
  • Negative body image and low self-esteem

Many people also find it beneficial to work with an Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian to learn the science of nutrition and develop a no-diet approach to food. Understanding how your muscles, bones, hormones, and organs all utilize food can be an empowering way to develop a harmonious and nourishing relationship with food that will last a lifetime.

Treatment with an RD may include:

  • History of dieting and/or various approaches to weight loss
  • Fear or overwhelm around food, grocery shopping, cooking, keeping food in the house, eating out
  • Learning how to nourish your body with a broad spectrum of foods that you enjoy
  • Replacing diet mentality with principles of Intuitive Eating

You don’t have to manage this on your own.

With the right support, it is possible to stop binge eating and feel more peace and trust in your relationship with food. Our team at A New Beginning are experts in the psychological and nutritional treatment of Binge Eating Disorder, and we are here to support you on your recovery journey.

To learn more, please contact our friendly Client Care Coordinator, Lauren, at (480) 941-4247 or contact@anewbeginning.com.