What is Binge Eating Disorder? Compulsive Eating Basics

Binge eating disorder is a mental illness characterized by compulsive overeating. Because of that, the condition is also referred to as compulsive eating disorder or compulsive overeating disorder (Binge Eating and Overeating: What's the Difference?) Amazingly, binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder and in 2013 was officially recognized in the DSM-5 as an eating disorder diagnosis. (Wondering if you have binge eating disorder? Take a binge eating test.)

How Binge Eating Disorder Starts

Binge eating disorder develops over time with increasingly frequent compulsive eating behaviors (compulsive eating symptoms). While it may look to some like the person is simply glutinous or weak-willed, binge eating disorder is defined as addiction and needs to be treated with compassion.

The first warning sign that a person has a problem with compulsive overeating is often the weight gained by the binge eater. Loved ones watch as the person continues to eat more than normal and more than would be acceptable to others. The worst part of compulsive overeating is that the family may not even see the worst compulsive eating behaviors because binge eaters tend to keep their biggest binges a secret.

As the family sees their loved one continue to gain weight, they may get angry that the person is not taking care of themselves or their health. It's important, however, to keep in mind that binge eating disorder is a mental illness and it generally requires professional intervention to begin binge eating disorder treatment.

How Binge Eating Disorder Develops

Binge eating disorder, like all eating disorders, is complex; as it stems from the psychology of the individual. There is no single, identified cause of compulsive overeating but binge eating disorder commonly develops after a period of strict dieting.

"The development of an eating disorder serves a survival purpose. No matter how destructive overeating may be in a person's life, it is maintaining a level of existence that is tolerable, if barely," says Joanna Poppink, MFT, a specialist in compulsive eating treatment.².

Like most mental illnesses, biological, psychological and environmental factors all play a role in the cause of binge eating disorder. Therapist and former compulsive overeater, Jane Latimer, says she likes to follow three tracks when determining the cause of a person's overeating problem:³

• Track 1 is looking at the biochemistry.
• Track 2 is looking at the underlying emotional issues.
• Track 3 would be the relationship to food itself."

Binge eating disorder often begins in late-adolescence but can last for many years before any treatment is sought. Poppink explains that "... everyone who comes into therapy is in a different stage of their eating disorder. Some people have been binging and purging for a year or so. Others have been engaging in various eating disorder behaviors for as much as 25 or 35 years."

And while it's often obvious to the binge eater that they have a problem, they generally only scratch the surface of why they engage in compulsive overeating. "Most do know that they use the binging to cope with their lives. Unfortunately, they often do not appreciate the details," says Poppink.

Repercussions of Binge Eating Disorder

Binge eating disorder is commonly noticed and considered problematic after the compulsive eater becomes overweight, but by then damage can already be done. The compulsive overeater may already be suffering from:

• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood cholesterol
• Heart disease

as well as other health problems associated with obesity.

Perhaps worse is that psychological patterns have become ingrained to the point where dealing with stress through compulsive overeating is the only coping mechanism the person has left. Compulsive overeating disorder is also associated with high levels of depression and suicidal thoughts.

What To Do If You Have Binge Eating Disorder

The main treatment for binge eating disorder is therapy. There are several types of binge eating therapy known to work for compulsive overeating disorders. Hospitalization is extremely rare and only occurs when severe medical or psychiatric complications exist.

"People overeat or binge because they are experiencing some kind of stress for which they have no tools or skills to handle," explains Poppink. "Often these people are extremely capable. However, somewhere in their history, they learned to cope with stress through food behaviors because they had no access to other methods of protection, adaptation or development."

Binge eating disorder is very common, affecting 1 million to 2 million adults in the United States. While compulsive overeating occurs most commonly in people with severe obesity, people with a normal weight can also be affected.

Obese people often try to handle weight-loss on their own, but for someone with binge eating disorder, a diet may ultimately make the disorder worse. Compulsive overeating disorder requires treatment for the psychological reasons behind the compulsive overeating before weight-loss can be attained.

Recovery From Binge Eating Disorder

It's necessary to understand why a person compulsively overeats before the behavior itself can be changed, so therapy is the first step to attaining recovery from binge eating disorder and learning to stop binge eating.

"There are so many scary feelings that a person doesn't know how to deal with. They can't make sense of it. It's very overwhelming. So, it's easier just to go back to the food," says Latimer.

Those who engage in compulsive overeating and are obese risk:

• Heart problems
• Stroke
• Breathing problems
• Musculature problems

And ultimately shortened life expectancy.

With binge eating disorder treatment though, compulsive eating disorder can be brought under control, explains Poppink.

"When we overeat, if we recognize that we are feeling something that we do not know how to accept, then we have the guiding tool to recovery. Then we can look in our lives, in our dreams, in our last conversation and try to find what it was that made us try to run away to oblivion for safety. Once we're on that path, there is no limit to the degree of healing and personal development we can achieve."

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To an untrained eye, binge eating and overeating can seem synonymous with one another. While there are certain habits and behaviors that overlap with these conditions, the two are very different and should be correctly diagnosed by a professional therapist or doctor. Only with proper analysis and treatment can the process of binge eating disorder therapy and healing begin in order to achieve a better quality of life. The following information provides more insight into the key differences between binge eating and compulsive overeating.

Binge Eating Disorder Definition

Overeating is not the same thing as binge eating and simple binge eating is not the same thing as a binge eating disorder. Overeating is the experience of eating to the point of being "too full". Overeating is something people commonly experience at holidays or on special occasions, where they have a second or third helping of dinner. Overeating may be caused due to skipping the previous meal, to alleviate stress, or simply because the food tastes good. While overeaters may experience discomfort and some regret after overeating, they are in control of their behavior.

Binge Eaters vs. Overeaters

Binge eating is a very different experience. Binge eating is overeating, but key to the binge eating definition is that binge eaters experience a loss of control. Once the binge eater begins eating, they feel they cannot stop eating even if they are uncomfortably full.¹

Whereas overeating might be caused by feeling good, binge eating is often driven by poor body image, low self-esteem, trauma or body image issues. Binge eating is also typically associated with:

• Consuming a larger amount of food than others would consider reasonable in a short period of time, even when not hungry
• Eating more rapidly than normal
• Eating until uncomfortably full
• Eating alone and being embarrassed about eating behavior
• Hiding food

(Read about binge eating disorder symptoms.)

Binge eating is typically very upsetting to the binge eater and the person often feels disgusted, ashamed or depressed about their binge eating.

Definition of Binge Eating Disorder

In the DSM-5, binge eating disorder is listed as a specific mental illness.

The binge eating disorder criteria includes:

• Recurrent binge eating
• Binge eating occurring at least once a week for three months
• Experience of the binge eater of lack of control while bingeing

It is important to note that while binge eating can be a part of other eating disorders such as bulimia, in order to meet the criteria for binge eating disorder, the binge eating must not be attributable to another eating disorder.

Binge eating disorder is made up of compulsive behavior and needs to be treated as an addiction, generally with the help of a professional. Go here for more information on binge eating disorder treatment.

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Binge eating disorder statistics suggest that BED is the most common eating disorder with about 2% of all adults exhibiting the symptoms of binge eating disorder. This number is an estimate though as there are no reliable statistics on the number of men with this eating disorder due to lack of research. There is also some stigma with men admitting they have an eating disorder, as they may believe it to be a "female disorder". (See articles on male eating disorders.)

Who Gets Binge Eating Disorder?

Binge eating disorder is thought to affect slightly more women than men and has been found in a wide range of ages. Compulsive overeating statistics suggest that people often wait for more than ten years to get help with binge eating disorder. Because research on binge eating disorder is relatively new, few binge eating facts are available and it is difficult to pinpoint the most common age when the eating disorder begins.

Additional compulsive overeating statistics include:¹

• Among mildly obese people in self-help or commercial weight loss programs, 10% to 15% have binge eating disorder
• Binge eating disorder is even more common in those with severe obesity
• There is no binge eating fact that suggests that ethnicity has any effect on who gets BED
• Obese people with binge eating disorder often became overweight at a younger age than those without the disorder
• Obese people with binge eating disorder also might have more frequent episodes of losing and regaining weight

Facts Surrounding Cause of Compulsive Overeating

No single cause of binge eating disorder is known and research is only starting to fully understand the impact of compulsive overeating. As with any eating disorder, binge eating facts suggest that psychological, biological and environmental factors play a part in the cause of binge eating disorder. Experts generally agree that it takes a combination of factors to develop binge eating disorder.

Binge eating disorder, like all eating disorders, appears more frequently in cultures that admire thinness, like in the United States. Moreover, the desire for thinness may make a compulsive overeater feel so bad about their bingeing that this causes them to binge further to make themselves feel better.

Some of the binge eating facts we do know are:

• Binge eating disorders are closely linked with other mental illnesses
• Almost half of people with binge eating disorder have a history of depression
• Impulsive behavior is more common in those with binge eating disorder
• Binge eating disorder tends to run in families
• Binge eating often starts after strict dieting

Binge Eating Facts - Treatment and Recovery of Binge Eating

Binge eating therapy is typically the first and most important step in compulsive overeating treatment because those who suffer from binge eating disorder generally do not fully understand the reasons why they binge eat.

• Binge eating facts suggest that binge eating is an addiction
• Binge eating can often be treated at least partially through a 12-step program similar to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• Binge eating facts show that binge eaters should not resort to very low-calorie diets as this can lead to further bingeing
• Medications can be used to reduce compulsive overeating triggers and help facilitate weight-loss once the binge eating behavior is under control
• On average, obese people in the best medical weight-loss programs lose 10% of their body weight but regain 66% of it back within 1 year and almost 100% of it back within 5 years
• About 25% of people who undergo cognitive behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy are able to stop binge eating and maintain weight loss one year later²

Some compulsive overeating statistics and binge eating facts can seem overwhelmingly negative, but they underscore the need for professional help for binge eating disorder.

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The differences between binge eating and overeating symptoms can be both minor and major. However, it is important that these conditions are correctly diagnosed for proper treatment. Individuals who suffer from these disorders can also exhibit a range of symptoms from mild to extreme. The following information provides more insight into the key differences between binge eating disorder and compulsive overeating symptoms.

Overeating Symptoms: You're in Control

Simple overeating may occur on an infrequent basis and the overeater feels in control of their eating behaviors. Overeating symptoms include eating too much at holidays or special occasions or because of a missed meal. On the other hand, binge eating disorder symptoms include frequent episodes of uncontrolled eating, or bingeing, during which the person may not feel "in control" or in command of their own actions.

Another key difference between the two is that some symptoms of binge eating disorder are hidden due to the shame binge eaters feel about their behavior. People often don't see compulsive eating symptoms like bingeing, due to the secrecy put in place by the binge eater. It is important to recognize the external symptoms of binge eating disorder though, as early intervention brings the greatest chance of successful recovery.

Outward Symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder

Obesity is the most obvious compulsive eating symptom. Most compulsive overeaters are obese (more than 20% above a healthy body weight), but not all. Binge eating disorder symptoms include:

• large weight gain
• frequent dieting
• as well as several cycles of weight loss and gain

There are many psychological symptoms of binge eating disorder as well. The binge eater often feels shame around eating and may express regret over having eaten so much. The binge eater also may develop low self-esteem both due to the disgust of their own eating habits and possibly due to their feelings about their own body image. So depression is another key symptom and this can sometimes be noticed by others.

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), binge-eating disorder occurs in 1>35 adults in the U.S., which translates into 3-5% of women (about 5 million) and 2% of men (3 million). While most binges are done in secret, sometimes overeating symptoms include visible overeating at meal times or eating throughout the day with no preset meal times. Very rapid eating is another sign.

Inward Symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder

While some binge eating symptoms are visible to others, the defining symptoms are only truly known by the binge eater. Only that person knows whether their overeating symptoms are due to a lack of control. As some binge eaters are good at hiding their compulsive eating symptoms, there may be additional signs on which others can't pick up. These include:¹

• Frequent episodes of eating amounts of food that others would find abnormally large
• Frequent feelings of being unable to control what is being eaten or how much
• Eating until uncomfortably full
• Eating large amounts of food when not hungry
• Eating alone out of embarrassment of the amount of food being eaten
• Feelings of disgust, depression or guilt after eating
• Feelings of low self-esteem, anxiety
• Loss of sexual desire

It's important to understand that binge eating disorder symptoms are symptoms of mental illness and not just behaviors chosen by the binge eater. Recognizing compulsive eating symptoms is the first step in recognizing this mental illness and getting the professional help required. (See binge eating treatment)

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A binge eating test can help someone identify whether they possibly have binge eating disorder or compulsively overeat. Binge eating disorder is characterized by compulsively eating large amounts of food in a short period of time; this is known as bingeing. Someone with binge eating disorder binges frequently and continues to do so for months.

Binge eating often has a huge impact on a person, their life and eating habits, and these can be discovered through a binge eating quiz.

Take Binge Eating Test

This binge eating disorder test will help you determine if you binge eat and whether you should seek help for binge eating disorder. For this binge eating quiz, think about your daily life and answer "yes" or "no" to the following questions:¹

• Do you feel out of control when you're eating?
• Do you think about food all the time?
• Do you eat when you're not hungry?
• Do you hide or stockpile food?
• Do you eat in secret?
• Do you eat until you feel sick?
• Do you eat when you are stressed or worried or eat to comfort yourself?
• Do you feel disgusted, ashamed or depressed after eating?
• Do you feel powerless to stop eating, even though you want to?
• Do you feel numb when overeating, like you're not really there?
• Do you always feel dissatisfied no matter how much you eat?
• Do you overeat at least once a week?
• Are you overweight or obese?

Print Binge Eating Disorder Test Results to Share with Doctor

Have you answered "yes" to any of the above binge eating quiz questions? If so, watch your eating over the next few months and consider consulting with a doctor or therapist. You may have binge eating disorder or are in danger or developing binge eating disorder. Changing the eating habits noted on this binge eating test is easiest when they are detected early (stop binge eating).

If you answered "yes" to four or more of the above binge eating quiz questions, you should make an appointment with a doctor or therapist to discuss your eating behaviors and the results of this binge eating quiz. Ask a friend or family member to help you keep track of your eating habits.

If you answered "yes" to six or more questions in this binge eating test, immediately request an appointment with a doctor or therapist to rule out an eating disorder. Share the results of this binge eating disorder test with your health care professional. Your doctor or therapist will likely ask you questions similar to those found here as part of the evaluation.

See Also:

• Overeating vs. Binge Eating Disorder Symptoms
• Binge Eating Disorder Support Groups
• Binge Eating Disorder Treatment
• I Need Mental Help: Where to Find Mental Health Help

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Causes of Binge Eating Disorder and Overeating

What causes binge eating disorder? Why is it so prevalent? In the United States, binge eating disorder statistics reveal the illness affects one out of every fifty people. As with many mental health conditions, researchers believe a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors are behind the causes of overeating.

Biological Causes of Overeating

Scientists studying the causes of overeating in a compulsive manner theorize the part of the brain that controls appetite (the hypothalamus) may not be sending the correct messages about hunger and fullness. Another theory holds that low levels of serotonin play a part in binge and other eating disorders. Finally, binge eating disorder tends to run in families; suggesting that genetics is one of the causes of overeating.

Other overeating causes include:¹

• Being female - women are slightly more likely than men to get binge eating disorder
• Being in late adolescence or early 20's - these are the times when binge eating disorder typically starts
• Having a history of dieting (dangers of dieting)

Psychological Causes of Binge Eating Disorder

It seems clear that psychological issues are one of the main causes of binge eating disorder. Nearly half of all people who compulsively overeat have a history of depression. Binge eaters report that strong negative emotions like anger, anxiety, sadness and boredom, are driving forces behind why they constantly overeat.

Other known psychological factors and causes of binge eating include:

• Low self-esteem
• Trouble controlling impulsive behaviors
• Trouble managing moods or expressing anger
• Loneliness
• Dissatisfaction with body or appearance
• Dealing with a trauma such as sexual abuse

Overeating Causes and Environmental Issues

Social, cultural and family pressures can also result in a person developing binge eating disorder. Cultures that value thinness, shames overeaters, causing them to hide their eating behavior. This secrecy can fuel an eating disorder. While binge eaters tend to be overweight, they are often acutely aware of this and are critical of their own appearance. In fact, many report their own families were often critical and put pressure on them regarding their appearance starting at a young age. Parents stressing food as a comfort or a reward can unwittingly be one of the causes of overeating and binge eating disorder.²

Binge Eating Serves a Purpose

While on the outside it seems there is no reward to binge eating, in truth, compulsive overeating is developed for a reason. One of the main causes of binge eating disorder is an inability to deal with, or control, the stresses in the world around the binge eater. The amount of food they eat is one thing they can control. It's something that makes them feel good.

In studies into the causes of binge eating disorder, patients report using food as the only way of coping with high levels of stress - such as an abusive relationship, a divorce, or a death. Binge eaters commonly talk about "floating away" or escaping from life's worries during binges.

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The effects of binge eating disorder are seen in many aspects of the life of compulsive overeaters. Worse, binge eating disorder often leads to obesity which, in itself, can come with dire consequences. With compulsive binge eating, the stomach is abnormally stretched to hold all the food consumed. During binges, these foods are usually low in protein and nutrients leading to nutritional deficiencies in the compulsive overeaters.

Many Compulsive Overeaters Are Lonely

Because compulsive overeaters often suffer from depression and low self-esteem, they may have fewer friends and possibly retreat from their existing social circle. Compulsive overeaters also generally binge in secret, adding to a desire for isolation. Finally, compulsive binge eating is a mental illness similar to addiction and so compulsive overeaters will often choose bingeing over other things such as friends, family, work or school.

Psychological Effects of Binge Eating

Compulsive binge eating is often brought on and sustained by psychological stress and other problems. Unfortunately, the effect of binge eating itself may lead to additional psychological problems or make the existing ones worse.

Half of the compulsive overeaters have a history of depression, but science isn't sure whether depression is a cause of compulsive binge eating or whether compulsive binge eating causes depression. It is likely a two-way relationship. The effects of binge eating can include shame, disgust, anxiety, obesity and other factors that may make the binge eater feel bad about themselves and worsen their depression. For compulsive overeaters, this may even lead to suicidal thoughts.

Additional psychological effects of binge eating include:

• Greater feelings of stress
• Insomnia
• Substance abuse issues

Dangerous Physical Effects Facing Compulsive Overeaters

Over time, compulsive binge eating generally leads to obesity. Obesity is associated with a host of medical issues and the greater a person's body mass index (a measure of body fat based on height and weight), the greater the risk of medical complications. For compulsive overeaters, these complications can include conditions leading to death.

Obesity-related health problems facing compulsive overeaters include:^vii

• Type 2 diabetes
• Gallbladder disease
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Certain types of cancer
• Osteoarthritis
• Joint and muscle pain
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Sleep apnea
• Shortness of breath
• Menstrual problems
• Decreased mobility and tiredness

Moreover, obesity often makes exercising more difficult, both physically and possibly psychologically, due to the compulsive overeater's negative emotions about their body image. A lack of exercise increases the likelihood of serious medical problems accompanying binge eating.

Other physical effects of binge eating disorder include:^1,2,3

• Nutritional deficiencies
• Electrolyte imbalance
• Headaches

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Overcoming Binge Eating Disorder and the Dangers of Dieting

Discover keys to overcoming binge eating and how diets and dangers of dieting sabotage compulsive overeaters' attempts at overcoming binge eating. Many times, compulsive overeaters will try to address their weight problems before looking at any other aspect of their eating disorder. This means the person will diet, sometimes with a severely restricted calorie intake, to lose weight. Overcoming binge eating, however, is about much more than the number on a scale. The way to stop binge eating is through learning why the compulsive binge eating is happening and what the psychological triggers are; then addressing the psychological and environmental causes of the binge eating. Any weight-loss plans for compulsive overeaters needs to include therapy for binge eating as part of the treatment plan.

Diets and Dieting Dangers

Obese compulsive overeaters need to create a diet plan and stay on it to lose weight. In overcoming binge eating, they should then adopt healthy eating patterns to keep the weight off. However, research has shown that long-term weight loss is much more likely when a person has control over their binge eating behaviors. Compulsive binge eating behaviors are grounded in, and surrounded by, psychological issues; so compulsive overeaters should always seek additional therapeutic treatment, along with a medically supervised weight loss program.

Compulsive overeaters who are not overweight are warned not to diet as dieting can worsen compulsive binge eating behavior.¹ That is one of the dangers of dieting.

Compulsive Binge Eating and the Dangers of Extreme Dieting

Extreme diets of less than 1100 calories per day carry risks, and in the case of compulsive overeaters, they are also often followed by compulsive binge eating behaviors.² Extreme diets should never be followed for longer than 16 weeks and fasting is never recommended.

Compulsive overeaters should note that on extreme diets, initial weight loss is primarily due to fluid loss and that long-term weight loss can be as much as 30% muscle. For those who have been compulsive binge eating, their muscle mass may already be diminished and this additional loss could be unhealthy.

Extreme diets do not contain sufficient nutrients and require additional supplements be taken. Compulsive overeaters may already have nutritional deficiencies, so extreme diets may make this worse. In severe cases, diets without sufficient vitamins and minerals have been known to cause heart arrhythmias and even death.

Other dangers of extreme dieting include:

• Fatigue
• Intolerance to cold
• Hair loss
• Gallstone formation
• Menstrual irregularities
• Risks of birth defects for babies born to mothers who dieted in the first trimester

Compulsive overeaters should particularly avoid diets that reduce sodium and protein while increasing fluids. These diets put compulsive overeaters at particular risk for a sodium deficiency known as hyponatremia which, in extreme cases, can lead to coma and death. This dangerous deficiency is also associated with:

• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Dizziness

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Those seeking binge eating disorder treatment know how devastating binge eating disorder can be on themselves and those around them. Just overcoming the shame typically surrounding binge eating disorder is a huge step forward in binge eating treatment. Binge eating disorder is a mental illness and needs to be recognized as such by the overeater and those around them.

Get Binge Eating Treatment Early

It is with early intervention that treatment for binge eating disorder has the greatest chance of success. Of course education and awareness will contribute to prevention but realizing the signs early will also increase ones chances of overcoming this disorder. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, if you're recognizing symptoms of binge eating disorder, you should talk to your health care provider about the type of help that may be best for you.

Medical Treatment for Binge Eating Disorder

For those with severe health problems, a visit to a doctor will be the first step in treatment for binge eating disorder. The doctor will ask questions as part of the diagnosis process and run necessary tests to analyze any damage done by binge eating disorder or associated conditions. Hospitalization is almost never needed in binge eating treatment unless other severe medical complications are present.

The goal of treatment is to get control of binge eating behavior, return to a healthy diet and lose weight if necessary. The doctor will make a binge eating disorder treatment plan which may include one or more of the following:¹

• Nutritional counseling
• A diet plan
• An exercise plan
• Individual therapy (binge eating therapy)
• Group or family therapy
• Medication

Compulsive Eating Treatment and Medication

Medication is sometimes used as part of compulsive binge eating treatment. This is most common when depression or anxiety is a factor. Antidepressants are one type of medication that is prescribed for the treatment of binge eating disorder. Typical antidepressants include:²

• Prozac - a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
• Paxil - an SSRI
• Topamax - an anti-seizure medication

Nutritional Treatment for Binge Eating Disorder

People with binge eating disorder often suffer from nutritional deficits as the foods they have binged on are typically high in fat and have few vitamins and minerals. Nutritional treatment for binge eating disorder attempts to create a healthy eating plan that will correct these deficits in the compulsive overeater. Additionally, it may help the compulsive overeater lose weight. In nutritional binge eating therapy, the diet focuses on gradual weight loss using nutritionally balanced meals and snacks. It may also include educating the binge eater about nutrition and helping them to make more nutritionally balanced food choices every day.

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For compulsive overeaters without serious health issues, a trip to a therapist is often the first step in binge eating disorder treatment. Binge eating therapy can be done in a group or individually, often depending on the type of compulsive eating treatment and issues being dealt with. Types of psychotherapy used in binge eating disorder treatment include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavioral therapy
• Interpersonal therapy
• Psychotherapy
• Group therapy

How Therapy for Binge Eating Works

Cognitive behavioral, dialectical behavioral or interpersonal binge eating therapy are individual, one-on-one, treatments. In these treatments, the therapist focuses on discovering the reasons and causes for binge eating, identifying binge eating triggers and giving the person the tools with which to deal with binge eating compulsions. Below are some examples of these therapy treatments.

• In cognitive behavioral therapy, you may discover that you are triggered to binge eat when someone makes a negative comment about your looks. This binge eating therapy would then focus on ways of dealing with that trigger, so you no longer overeat because of it. This treatment focuses on identifying dysfunctional thinking patterns around food.
• In dialectical behavioral therapy, you may learn about how to deal with work stress, how to express appropriate emotions and how to build relationships with your coworkers. This new positive behavior reduces the desire to binge eat. This treatment teaches mindfulness and self-acceptance.
• Interpersonal therapy focuses on your current relationships with others. This binge eating therapy aims to reduce compulsive eating by improving relationships, how you interact with others and communication skills.
• Psychotherapy delves deeper into an individual's life and experiences and may be necessary, particularly if an overeater is recovering from a trauma.

Group therapy is a common binge eating treatment. This type of therapy for binge eating often takes a form similar to a 12-step group like Alcoholics Anonymous. Group therapy has the benefits of allowing the binge eater to meet others like them and be in a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where all the participants understand what each other is going through. Group therapy for binge eating also has the advantage of being ongoing and a useful place to find support if the overeater finds him or herself bingeing, or wanting to binge, in the future (binge eating support).

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