Binge Eating Disorder Information

Binge eating disorder, also known as compulsive overeating, is an eating disorder that is characterized by periods of uncontrolled, impulsive, or continuous eating beyond the point of feeling comfortably full. Individuals suffering from this eating disorder will not purge following a binge episode as those with bulimia would. However, they will often feel strong feelings of self-hatred or shame after a binge leading to sporadic fasts or repetitive dieting. Those suffering from binge eating disorder may become overweight or obese or may maintain a normal body weight. Individuals with binge eating disorder may also struggle with emotional issues including anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

When treating binge eating disorder, it is important to develop positive and healthy eating behaviors while also addressing the underlying emotional problems. At McCallum Place, a St. Louis eating disorder treatment center, we offer binge eating disorder treatment programs for adolescents, teens, and adults. To learn more about binge eating disorder and our treatment programs, please contact our eating disorder treatment center in St. Louis.

What is Binge Eating Disorder

Binge Eating Disorder is a serious eating disorder characterized by compulsive overeating or frequent binges. During these binges, a person will consume huge amounts of food while feeling out of control and powerless to stop. In individuals with binge eating disorder, binges will typically last several hours and include eating compulsively to the point of feeling extremely overfull or sick. Some individuals will find that they may binge on and off all day long and continue eating even after they are full.

While individuals with binge eating disorder may attempt frequent diets and exercise programs in order to lose weight gained because of excess calorie consumption, unlike with bulimia, binges are not regularly followed by attempts to “make up” for binges through extreme or unhealthy behaviors including vomiting, fasting, or over-exercising. Binge eating disorder is often causes feelings of disgust and a poor self-image, especially as individuals become overweight or obese. It can also be linked with depression or interpersonal relationship issues.

The key features of binge eating disorders include:

• Frequent episodes of eating large quantities of food in short periods of time
• Feeling extremely distressed, disgusted, or upset during or after bingeing
• Feeling out of control during over eating episodes or binges
• Eating when not hungry and eating in secret

Binge Eating Disorder Treatment

In general, the main treatment goals when treating binge eating disorder will be to stop unhealthy bingeing behaviors, to establish a healthy energy balance, and to encourage a healthy eating pattern. This comes through educating individuals on healthy eating habits and enforcing healthy eating patterns and techniques.

In addition to regulating binges, another important step in binge eating disorder treatment should be too address the underlying and related emotional issues that are connected with binge eating disorder. Because binge eating disorder is so closely tied to feelings of shame, poor self-image, self-disgust and other negative emotions, treatment should also address these issues. The methods commonly used to treat binge eating disorders include psychotherapy, medication, behavioral weight-loss programs, and self-help strategies.

At McCallum Place, we often use a combination of psychotherapy treatment programs during the binge eating disorder treatment process. This may include using:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Interpersonal Therapy
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Learn more about How to Stop Binge Eating Disorder.

St. Louis Binge Eating Disorder Treatment Center

At McCallum Place in St. Louis, our residential, partial hospital, and intensive outpatient eating disorder treatment programs are available to treat patients with binge eating disorders. To learn how our binge eating disorder treatment programs can help you, please contact our St. Louis eating disorder treatment center today.

Outpatient binge eating disorder treatment is also available to children, teens, and adults through our outpatient eating disorder and obesity treatment center in St. Louis, Webster Wellness Professionals. Please visit our Webster Wellness Professionals website to learn more about the treatment services available at this treatment center.