Struggling with binge eating disorder is incredibly difficult. The women I work with that struggle with binging feel so embarrassed that this is their struggle. “Why can’t I have the *good* eating disorder?” they lament. I have to assure them there is no such thing as a good eating disorder, and they are all dangerous. However, reading between the lines, what they are telling me how awful it is to struggle with binging and not restricting. Our society seems to think restricting and starving is sexy when it’s actually deadly. Another thing these women don’t realize is that binge eating is born out of restriction. If you were to scan your history and think about when you started deciding food was good or bad, you tried eating less of certain kinds of foods, or you went on diets, this might be when restriction began for you. Even mental restrictions of telling yourself you shouldn’t eat certain foods will induce a binge and increase cravings.
It all happens before you even realize what’s happening. Before you can even blink, it’s been ten years, and you’ve been stuck in this cycle. You don’t understand why you can be successful in so many different ways, but this is something you can’t seem to shake. You unknowingly try to buckle down and have more self-control, but you don’t realize this is fueling the fire.
Binge eating Disorder Treatment is the key
Addressing your relationship with food and the cycles you find yourself in with food are all aspects to address in Binge Eating Disorder Treatment. You can change your reactions to stress through therapy. You probably don’t realize everything you take out on food in your life. You also don’t realize you’re a good person who deserves good things; binging doesn’t change anything. These are all beliefs that can be worked on in therapy.
What is Binge Eating Disorder Treatment?
Binge eating disorder treatment is an eating disorder therapy focusing on treating binge eating disorders. This therapy involves meeting with a specialized therapist who understands the contributing factors to this disorder. Binge eating disorder treatment is not a weight loss appraoch. Many women come to therapy in hopes I will help them “be skinny” or lose weight. I don’t have control over what your body weighs or decides to be, and I won’t perpetuate the cycle that you need to change your appearance. Binge Eating Disorder treatment is about you digging deep into your emotions, thoughts, and past experiences. It also involves addressing body image issues and your relationship with food.
What are the symptoms of binge eating disorder?
Everyone's experience is different, but here are some of the common signs of needing therapy.
Feeling out of control with food
Eating in secrecy
Consuming large amounts of food
Eating until you are uncomfortable
Consuming food rapidly
Engaging in binge behaviors weekly or more
Feeling disgusted or guilty about the amount of food eaten
How will Binge Eating Disorder Treatment Help?
The goal of this treatment is to stop the cycle of binging and to be able to help you cope with your emotions and stress in ways you feel more comfortable with. It’s normal for people to soothe themselves with food, but when this becomes the primary way of coping and dealing with life, we need to add other approaches. Binge eating disorder treatment can help you gain more confidence in yourself and trust with food. Counseling can also help you deal with underlying past experiences and negative beliefs that you have about yourself and your body. My goal for my clients is for them to decrease their symptoms of anxiety and depression and to feel happier overall with themselves and their lives.
What type of approach is used in Binge Eating Disorder Treatment?
Here are some of the approaches that are used in treating this disorder. These are not all of them but some of the aspects I utilize and recommend.
Psychotherapy
Therapy is a significant part of eating disorder recovery. Meeting with a therapist helps you to be able to process your eating disorder history and how it’s impacted your life. Therapy helps give you coping skills, work through past experiences and memories that may be contributing to the experience, manage triggers, and more. Counseling is meant for you to feel safe, let down your guard, be honest with a professional about what you are struggling with, and get help from someone with the right training.
Health at Every Size
Health at Every Size (HAES) is an approach focusing not on your body size or weight. HAES focuses on incorporating healthy behaviors and being able to use body acceptance. This approach is also about eating for your well-being. HAES is also about getting respectful care regardless of your body size or shape.
Body Positive
Being body positive doesn’t mean trying to get you always to feel positive about your body. This is unreasonable and is going to discourage you if you expect this. Body positivity is about respecting and accepting your body regardless of anything. It also focused on the belief that you deserve to have a positive body image without changing or altering your body.
Nutrition Counseling
Most people get slightly triggered when I mention working with a dietitian, and I don’t blame them. Dietitians are often associated with dieting and weight loss. However, nutrition counseling involves working with a dietitian trained to treat eating disorders. As a therapist, I am not qualified to give you nutrition advice as a dietitian does. Nutritional counseling is also about your attitudes and beliefs about food and working through these with a dietitian.
Medications
Medication management for your depression and anxiety is a decision that's up to you. Many people are afraid of using medications that might impact their mood. There is nothing wrong with utilizing medications to help you through the treatment process; many women find this helpful. Medication is something you could discuss with your doctor if you are interested. Some of the women I have worked with hope there is a medication to stop them from overeating, but this is not something I recommend as it doesn’t help you become in touch with your hunger or fullness cues. The problem is still there when the medication is discontinued.
What is the therapy used in treatment for binge eating disorder?
Different therapists utilize different models of therapy for binge eating disorders. These are some of the models I use in therapy.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on six core processes to promote something called psychological flexibility. ACT involves recognizing and responding from your own value system regarding behaviors. This therapy also helps you distance yourself from negative thoughts without making you track them down and change them. ACT is about being present and mindful and taking steps toward action.
EMDR Therapy for Binge Eating Disorder
EMDR therapy is one of my favorite therapy models to use with the women I work with. EMDR focuses on helping you work through the negative beliefs you have about yourself and working through past experiences that contribute to those beliefs. You might not realize how past experiences have contributed to how you think and feel about yourself now. EMDR was originally used to treat PTSD in vets, but we have now found that we can use it to treat various issues.
IFS for Eating Disorders
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an incredible therapy model that was actually created in response to eating disorders. IFS focuses on the parts of our personality that may be in conflict with our overall values and goals. We have many different aspects of our personalities, which are called parts. The creation of IFS compares these parts of our personality to family members. If you have heard yourself say, “Part of me feels sad, but part of me feels grateful,” this therapy approach digs deep into these different parts of us.
How long does Binge Eating Disorder Treatment take?
I try to be really honest and open about the length of treatment everywhere because I want you to have realistic expectations. Therapy for eating disorders is no walk in the park, and it’s not done quickly. The women I work with tend to be high achievers and tell themselves they can do it faster. I am begging you to let go of that hope because it’s not helpful to you. Binge eating disorder treatment involves meeting weekly for 12-18 months or more. People will start this process and quit too soon because they told themselves they should be better by four months. Again eating disorder recovery takes time, patience, and work. It’s worth it, and you won’t regret it.
Will Binge Eating Disorder Treatment Cure Binge Eating Disorder?
The goal of this treatment is to be able to stop your binges and for you to feel comfortable about yourself and with food. Going to therapy can set you up to not struggle with binging any longer, but I don’t want you to think going to therapy once a week is enough. Therapy is only one hour out of your week, and the real work will happen outside of the therapy chair. The good news is that if you put in the work and are committed, you will be freed from binge eating disorder.
Why should I start Treatment for Binge Eating disorder?
I think you should start binge eating disorder treatment because you deserve to feel better. You don’t deserve to feel guilt and shame all the time. You can have a peaceful relationship with food and your body. You should do it because it’s something for you, and you probably give a lot of yourself to others in your life. I think you should start therapy because it will change everything for you, and you can be a lot happier than you are now.
Start binge eating disorder treatment in Utah
You don’t have to keep feeling out of control with food. The cycle of binging can stop, and treatment for binge eating can help. This Utah County Counseling Clinic has an eating disorder therapist specializing in binge eating disorder treatment. To begin therapy, follow the steps below:
Meet with a binge eating disorder therapist
Begin counseling
Binge Eating Treatment through Online Therapy in Utah
It is important to have access to a therapist specializing in what you are struggling with, especially when it’s an eating disorder. Many parts of Utah don’t have an eating disorder therapist. This is why I offer Online Therapy in Utah. This allows you to access care without having to travel or commute. Online Therapy is just as effective and helpful as in-person therapy.
Through online therapy in Utah, I am often able to work with clients located in Salt Lake City, Logan, Heber, Cedar City, St. George, and more.
Other mental health services at Maple Canyon Therapy
Binge Eating Disorder Treatment isn’t the only counseling service provided at this Northern Utah Counseling Center. Other mental health services provided by Maple Canyon Therapy include eating disorder therapy, trauma therapy, including for birth trauma, anxiety therapy, and body image therapy in Utah.
About the Author
Ashlee Hunt is a licensed clinical social worker and Maple Canyon Therapy owner outside Provo, Utah. She specializes in eating disorder treatment and loves to be able to assist women in their eating disorder recovery. Ashlee believes that women can be free from binge eating disorders and never have to return. She understands that recovery isn’t easy and takes work and support. Ashlee has a bachelor's degree in psychology and a bachelor's degree in family life and human development from Southern Utah University. She has a master's degree in social work from Utah State University. When Ashlee isn’t doing therapy, she’s finding plants to add to her collection at Highland Gardens in Highland, Utah.