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What Is Binge Eating Disorder?
It can be hard to know if you or a loved one have an eating disorder like binge eating disorder (BED), let alone if you or a loved one need eating disorder treatment. Binge eating disorder involves recurrent episodes of binge eating also known as compulsive overeating. Clinicians characterize these eating disorder episodes by eating large amounts of food in a short period of time and feeling a sense of loss of control over binge eating behaviors, which can lead to mental health issues.
The prevalence of binge eating disorder is estimated to be about 1-5% of the general population and it’s three times more common than two other eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia) combined. It’s also more common than breast cancer, HIV, and the mental health disorder schizophrenia. Binge eating disorder affects women slightly more often than men with estimates indicating that about 60% of people struggling with binge eating disorder are female and 40% are male. Additionally, binge eating disorder is often associated with symptoms of depression and individuals with binge eating disorder report a lower quality of life than those without the disorder.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), binge eating episodes are associated with three or more of the following symptoms:
- Eating more rapidly than normal
- Eating until uncomfortably full
- Feeling disgusted, depressed, or guilty after overeating
- Eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry
- Eating alone due to embarrassment
The following criteria are also associated with binge eating disorder:
- Apparent, marked distress regarding binge eating
- Binge eating occurs at least once a week for three months
- Binge eating isn’t associated with recurrent use of inappropriate, compensatory behavior, nor does it occur with anorexia or bulimia
Various factors can contribute to the development of eating disorders like binge eating disorder including, but not limited to, genetic predisposition, societal pressures, neurobiology, trauma histories, family dynamics, and high levels of stress.
Overview of Binge Eating Disorder
Odyssey Behavioral Healthcare’s AVP of Clinical Services, Kate Fisch, LCSW, discusses binge eating disorder (BED) and how Magnolia Creek approaches treatment.
How We Treat Binge Eating Disorder
At Magnolia Creek, our therapeutic environment is designed to provide a whole-person approach to treating eating disorders. Our therapists help binge eating disorder patients explore the issues and experiences related to their eating disorders and challenge the thoughts and binge eating behaviors that prevent them from living their life fully using different types of behavioral therapy. To ensure the best chance of eating disorder recovery, our staff works with each client and their family to create an individualized care plan that meets their psychological, medical, nutritional, spiritual, and relational needs. Treating binge eating disorder at Magnolia Creek includes utilizing various types of behavioral therapy like the following:
We help our binge eating disorder patients reduce their binge eating behaviors using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other types of behavioral therapy. Utilizing nutrition therapy, our clinicians help clients establish healthier eating habits and rebalance their relationship with food.
Health Consequences of Binge Eating Disorder
Like other eating disorders, binge eating disorder can lead to serious health consequences and complications as well as other mental health disorders if left untreated, including:
- Type 2 Diabetes: Binge eating can increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, where a person’s body is resistant to insulin. If binge eating continues, controlling blood sugar levels can become incredibly difficult.
- Heart Disease: Binge eating puts individuals at a higher risk for elevated blood pressure and cholesterol—two clear indicators of the potential for a heart attack or a stroke.
- Muscle and/or Joint Pain: Fast and extreme weight gain from binge eating puts tremendous pressure on joints and can even create wear and tear on the cartilage inside the joints, called osteoarthritis, which is painful and can be debilitating.
- Other Organ Problems: The heart isn’t the only organ in danger of disease when it comes to binge eating disorder. Binge eating can also cause kidney and liver disease, gallbladder issues, and pancreatitis.
- Depression: Binge eating disorder can cause cyclic mental health issues during which an individual eats to avoid negative emotions, then feels regret and shame because of binge eating, followed by another binge to avoid the new negative feelings. Many people with binge eating disorder experience mental health disorders like anxiety and/or depression.
- Fertility Problems: For individuals with reproductive organs, binge eating disorder can disrupt the menstrual cycle. As a result, it can be difficult to get pregnant. Binge eating can even cause serious complications during pregnancy and delivery.
- Stomach Rupture: Although it’s rare, binge eating disorder can create a life-threatening emergency at the end of a binge if the stomach ruptures. Leaked food can cause an infection and even sepsis.
Signs and Symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder
Individuals with binge eating disorder will often feel embarrassed or ashamed of their eating habits and symptoms can sometimes be hard to notice. The main symptoms of binge eating disorder include:
- Recurrent binge eating characterized by consuming a large amount of food in a discrete period and a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode
- Eating more rapidly than normal
- Binge eating until uncomfortably full
- Binge eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry
- Binge eating alone due to shame about how much one is eating
- Feeling disgusted, depressed, or guilty after binge eating
- Experiencing feelings of stress or anxiety that can only be relieved by binge eating
- Feeling numb while binge eating
Our Binge Eating Disorder Treatment Programs
At Magnolia Creek, our eating disorder treatment programs include our residential treatment programs for eating disorders and our partial hospitalization program (PHP) for eating disorders.
- Adult Residential Treatment Program: In an environment that allows clients to restore their physical and psychological health, our residential program helps adult clients (ages 18 and older) build a foundation for eating disorder recovery. Each client participates in various types of eating disorder treatment including individual therapy, group therapy, and experiential therapy, all set within our serene and expansive campus.
- Adolescent and Teen Residential Treatment Program: Offering teen-specific components that adhere to the same clinical standards as our adult programming, adolescent girls (ages 12 to 17), work with specialized eating disorder staff during treatment. The program includes a separate cottage for living and treatment, a robust family therapy program, licensed teachers who interact with local school systems, and approachable menus.
- Adult Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP): Also known as day treatment, in our PHP adult clients (ages 18 and older) continue to receive feedback and support as they recover from eating disorders, gain confidence, and transition out of treatment. Our partial hospitalization program helps clients achieve independence as they work with their therapists to practice learned skills when faced with real-world challenges.
REVIEWED BY
Kate Fisch, LCSW
Kate Fisch is the AVP of Clinical Operations for Odyssey’s Eating Disorder Network. With 17 years of clinical leadership and direct client care experience in the eating disorders field, she has a history of innovation, clinical training, and resource development in a variety of eating disorder treatment settings supporting families, clients, and clinicians.
To learn more about our behavioral therapy treatment for eating disorders like binge eating disorder, call us or fill out our contact form.
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