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Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder is essentially what it sounds like: a person eats an excessive amount but doesn’t take any measures to counteract the disproportionate amount of food.

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What is Binge Eating Disorder?

Someone struggling with anorexia will typically go to extreme lengths to lose weight or maintain low body weight. This may be done by heavily monitoring calorie intake, restricting the amount or types of food eaten, excessive exercising, and misusing diet pills and laxatives. Often, in cases of anorexia, emotional issues are covered up by the disorder and thinness is connected to self-worth.

It can be difficult to notice the signs and symptoms of anorexia right away. Just because there is a decrease in food consumed does not mean that the person anorexia is affected will automatically be very thin, as everyone’s body weights are different.

About Binge Eating Disorder

Symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder

If you think of binge eating, you might associate it with being overweight or obese, but that’s not always the case. People with “normal” weight can also be binge eaters. Here are some signs and symptoms of binge eating disorder to be aware of:

Eating large amounts of food within a short period of time.
Feeling like you can’t control your eating or food intake.
Eating until the point of being uncomfortably full.
Eating when you’re not hungry.
Eating alone or in secret.
Feeling guilty or ashamed about your eating.

People who struggle with bulimia typically binge and then purge (vomit), take laxatives or do excessive exercise. However, if you have a binge eating disorder, you won’t do anything to try to balance out the calories you are intaking.

Causes of Binge Eating Disorder

There are a number of reasons why you might binge eat, but here are some potential causes of binge eating disorder:

Genetics. Binge eating disorder is associated with increased sensitivity to dopamine – the brain’s chemical associated with feelings of reward and pleasure. This sensitivity can potentially be inherited and handed down genetically.
Gender. Binge eating disorder is more common in women than men.
Body image. Eating disorders go hand-in-hand with negative body image.
Trauma. Traumatic events can increase the risk of developing a binge eating disorder.
Co-occurring disorders. Mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and addiction, are all contributing factors.

Binge Eating Disorder Risks and Complications

TREATMENT OPTIONS

The road to lifelong recovery starts in a safe and secure environment with trained professionals who will teach life skills and coping tools to begin a meaningful journey to recovery.

Inpatient

Treatment in a structured 24-hour medical or psychiatric inpatient unit. Medical management and intensive treatment of physically harmful eating disorder behaviors, medical complications, and co-occurring disorders, along with a focus on weight restoration.

Partial Hospitalization

Treatment typically occurs five days a week for six to eight hours each day. Client remains medically stable but requires more intensive, structured programming to reduce eating disorder behaviors.

Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient Care (OP & IOP)

Lives at home or in a structured living environment with continued participation in group therapy sessions, individualized therapy sessions, educational programs on mental health, addiction, nutrition, and more.

Eating Disorders Treatment Modalities

Therapy, psychiatry, and group support are important in a well-rounded eating disorder treatment program. The following services are provided:

Group and Individual Therapies

Nutritional Assessment and Consultation

Psychiatric Evaluation and Medication Prescription and Management

Psychoeducation; Educate and Inform Patients about the Disorder

Staff-supported Eating

Case Management