Binge Eating Disorder Treatment

What is binge eating disorder?

It may be difficult to know if you need binge eating disorder treatment. Also known as compulsive eating, binge eating disorder involves recurrent episodes of binge eating, characterized by eating large amounts of food, often quickly, and a sense of loss of control over eating behaviors.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition states that these binge eating episodes are associated with three or more of the following:

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 over embarrassment about the quantity of food being consumed

These are also additional criteria:

Learn More About Binge Eating Disorder

Odyssey Behavioral Healthcare’s AVP of Clinical Services, Kate Fisch, LCSW, discusses binge eating disorder and how Toledo Center approaches treatment.

Signs and Symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder

Symptoms of binge eating disorder can often be hard to notice, but they include emotional, behavioral, and physical signs such as:

Emotional and behavioral

Evidence of binge eating such as the disappearance of large amounts of food in short periods of time or empty wrappers and containers
Eating more rapidly than normal
Eating until uncomfortably full
Eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry
Eating alone (due to shame about how much one is eating)
Practicing new fads with diets or food such as eliminating entire food groups (no sugar, no carbs, no dairy, vegetarianism/veganism)
Extreme concern with body weight and shape
Developing food rituals such as eating only one food or food group, excessive chewing, or not allowing foods to touch
Stealing or hoarding food
Low self-esteem

Physical

Health Consequences of Binge Eating Disorder

Just over two-thirds of individuals with binge eating disorder are labelled as clinical obese, but many of those who struggle with the disorder are of normal or higher-than-average weight. Binge eating disorder can be diagnosed at any weight and it can lead to severe health consequences if left untreated. Individuals could experience any of the following:

Type 2 Diabetes
High blood pressure
Insomnia or sleep apnea
High cholesterol levels
Heart disease
Gallbladder disease
Muscle and/or joint pain

If you or a loved one is suffering from an eating disorder, we can help you get your lives back on track.

How We Treat

At the Toledo Center, our clinicians customize a treatment plan to meet the specific needs of individuals with binge eating disorder. Individual and group therapies include treatment modalities such as:

Dialectical behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Enhanced Family Education and Coaching Program
Exposure and response prevention
Experiential and symbolic experiential therapy
Acceptance and commitment therapy
Psychodynamic therapy
Narrative therapy
Symbolic modeling (metaphor) therapy
Reality therapy

Our treatment program offers a comprehensive spectrum of services for treating eating disorders and co-occurring conditions such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, OCD, and trauma. The levels of care we provide help to target the needs of our clients.

LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Eating Disorder Treatment

A Proudly Inclusive Environment

Toledo Center is an LGBTQIA+ inclusive environment. At our treatment center, we treat clients with diverse gender identities. Our philosophy at Toledo Center is that a welcoming and inclusive environment is crucial to the recovery and healing process for all. We’re proud to be an LGBTQ+ affirming environment, meeting every client where they are with compassion and collaboration.