Binge Eating Disorder Treatment
Binge eating is a distressing experience that causes you to feel shame and guilt over feeling a lack of control over eating. People who binge eat often hide their disordered eating from others and believe they should be able to control their eating and weight. Often, this means that people with binge eating disorder don’t reach out for support.
Our professional team at Peaceful Mind Psychology have a special interest in the treatment of eating disorders, including binge eating. Our psychological approach is evidence-based, promising the best possible outcomes. Our psychologists are well-trained and experienced in binge eating disorder therapy and understand how complicated life can feel if you’re struggling with an eating disorder.
How to Recognise Binge Eating Disorder in Yourself or a Loved One
People with binge eating disorder experience semi-frequent to regular episodes of actual or perceived over-eating. These episodes can be felt as if you’re “out of control” over the amount and type of food that you’re eating. Binge eating can also feel like it comes out of the blue, even though there factors that make a person vulnerable to binging. Most commonly after an episode of binge eating, an individual will experience feelings of guilt and shame.
Signs and symptoms of binge eating include:
- Overeating
Over-eating can be subjective or objective. That is, some people feel like they’ve eaten too much food, while other people have objectively eaten an excessive amount of food. Overeating occurs regularly and may involve rituals or specific patterns, such as having to watch a particular show while eating or consuming snacks in a specific order. - Guilt or shame
A binge episode is almost always followed by internal feelings of shame or guilt. - Dieting or restricting
There will likely be periods of dieting, or giving up perceived “bad” foods. This may even be successful for a short while, however, these periods are typically followed by binging. - Mood or event triggers
Binge eating is often followed by specific events or moods that make the individual vulnerable to binging. For example, binging may occur when you’re home alone or after you’ve had an argument with a loved one.
Do You Have Binge Eating Disorder or Another Eating Disorder?
Binge eating is a feature of several eating disorders, not just binge eating disorder. If you experience binge eating alongside behaviours such as self-induced vomiting, laxative misuse, excessive exercise or significant food restriction, you may be experiencing a different eating disorder.
Anorexia nervosa can involve significant food restriction and an intense fear of weight gain. Some people with anorexia also experience episodes of binge eating and/or purging, while others do not.
Bulimia nervosa is characterised by recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by behaviours intended to compensate, such as self-induced vomiting, laxative misuse, fasting or excessive exercise.
OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder) describes eating disorders that cause significant distress and impairment but do not meet the full diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder. Despite the name, OSFED is a serious eating disorder that deserves appropriate treatment.
It’s also important to remember that not everyone with an eating disorder binge eats. Some people experience restrictive eating, intense anxiety around food or rigid food rules without binge eating episodes. Others may have anorexia nervosa or other eating disorders where binge eating is not a feature.
At Peaceful Mind Psychology, our psychologists support people experiencing the full range of eating disorders, including binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and OSFED. If you’re unsure which eating disorder best describes your experiences, we’re here to help.
Learn more about our comprehensive eating disorder services.
Eating Disorders Can Be Caused by Many Factors
Eating disorders, such as binge eating can arise from multiple factors, including biological, social, cultural, and psychological factors.
Often eating disorders start with poor body image and are nearly always triggered by strict dieting. People with binge eating disorder also commonly experience some distress around their emotions, making them vulnerable to developing binge eating disorder.
It is not uncommon for people with eating disorders to experience a life stressor or difficulty in relationships before becoming unwell. Research also shows that eating disorders are more likely to arise if there is a family history. Experiences in childhood, such as having a parent who diets, bullying or trauma, and engaging in a sport focused on body weight, are also risk factors for developing an eating disorder.
At Peaceful Mind Psychology we value understanding the various factors that contribute to an unhealthy relationship with your body and food. We work with you to form a clear understanding your eating disorder “story”. Once we understand your personal story, we collaborate with you to shift the factors maintaining your eating disorder.
About Peaceful Mind Psychology
Peaceful Mind Psychology is the largest practice in Melbourne that treats eating disorders. As part of our passion for eating disorder treatment, we offer our psychologists in-house training in CBT-E for adults. Our psychologists are experienced in treating Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, and OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder).
If you’re looking for a professional and warm approach to eating disorder treatment in Melbourne, we’re here to support you in overcoming your eating disorder.
Our Eating Disorder Treatments are Evidence-Based and Comprehensive
Several well-researched treatments are effective in treating eating disorders including bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating. Binge eating disorder in particular is best treated with Cognitive-behavioural Therapy-Enhanced (CBT-E). However, Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Guided CBT Online, Psycho-education, and Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) have also been proven to be effective in binge eating disorder treatment.
Research shows that your chances of recovery from binge eating disorder are far higher with CBT-E than using other methods of support, such as self-help books, or familial support. Our professional team is experienced and trained in CBT-E to help you on the road to recovering from your eating disorder.
As part of our comprehensive treatment approach to eating disorders, we collaborate with a multidisciplinary team which can include dieticians and GPs. We are well connected with like-minded health professionals who are educated in eating disorder treatment.
We work hard within these multidisciplinary teams to achieve your therapy goals.
A Better Life is Just Around the Corner
We know how difficult it can be to ask for help, but it is the first step to recovery. You can start by speaking to your GP about your eating struggles or by making an appointment with a psychologist trained in eating disorder treatment.
If you feel you’re ready to speak with one of our psychologists, you can contact our practice today.
It can be difficult to find a psychologist that is right for you. However, our Melbourne psychology clinic makes the process as comfortable and easy as possible for you. We offer a supportive and thoughtful matching process, where we take the time to personally match you with one of our Melbourne psychologists based on your needs and personality. We also offer psychologists who are professionally trained in Clinical Psychology.
Peaceful Mind Psychology has practice locations across Melbourne in Prahran, Glen Iris, Hawthorn, and Armadale. We are highly selective in the psychologists we choose to work with, valuing warmth and kindness above other attributes. This means our psychologists show genuine care in their approach, they listen deeply to you, and take the time to adapt their approach to your individual needs.
Additional Resources:
To find free and confidential resources to help you learn more about eating disorders, we highly recommend researching:
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- How does binge eating and eating disorders affect me?
Binge eating and eating disorders can affect your daily living, relationships and ability to concentrate at work or study. Many people with binge eating experience the following difficulties:
- Poor body image. You may experience intense body dissatisfaction or disgust towards your body.
- Weight fluctuations.
- Your mood may be impacted: You may experience guilt and shame; mistaking binging as a “bad habit” that shows weakness. Some people may suffer anxiety and/or depression as a result of their eating struggles or poor body image.
- Health implications. You may suffer from pain, diabetes, high cholesterol, or chronic heart issues. You may struggle to eat well and exercise, due to a perceived sense of “failing” that affects your motivation to look after yourself.
- Avoidance of foods that may “trigger” a binge. There may be certain foods that initiate a binge (e.g. chocolate, pizza, cake, etc), as such you may avoid these foods, or social gatherings that involve these foods.
- Low self-esteem. Body image issues, a lack of control over food and the shame/guilt experienced after binging, can affect your self-esteem. You may view yourself as a “failure” or “unloveable”.
- Shame associated with your body and eating struggles may cause you to avoid social events, or you may withdraw from friends and family.
- Am I entitled to an Eating Disorder Treatment Plan (EDP) if I have binge eating?
If you are binge eating, you are most likely to meet the criteria for an EDP plan. Your GP will provide an assessment of your symptoms to see if you are eligible for an EDP. This assessment takes into account four areas of an eating disorder: restraint, eating concern, shape concern and weight concern.
Make sure you book a double appointment with your GP if you wish to obtain an EDP plan.
- How many sessions am I entitled to under an EDP plan and what is the rebate?
An EDP plan provides you with 40 psychological sessions per 12-months, as well as 20 dietician sessions. The Medicare rebate under an EDP is the same rebate available under a mental healthcare plan (MHCP). Our FAQs provide the most updated Medicare rebates available.