When to Seek Binge-Eating Treatment

Binge-eating disorder is a serious mental health condition that typically requires professional counseling to work through, but it is possible to overcome the eating disorder. However, people often miss the signs or wait too long to seek binge-eating treatment.

Know the signs of binge-eating disorder, take your treatment seriously, and lean on your faith in God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and you will take your life back.

What are the signs of binge-eating disorder?

Sometimes the line between overeating (which many people do throughout the year) and binge-eating becomes blurred. Overeating may or may not be intentional and is typically contained in a single meal.

Binge-eating, however, can happen during a span of two hours. During a binge, you may consume hundreds or thousands of calories with no sensation of your stomach being full. Worse, you may zone out during the binge and suddenly realize what you have done hours later.

Do any of these signs of binge-eating disorder sound familiar?

• Do you binge on food in a short period of time?
• Do you keep your binges a secret?
• Do you feel sick, ashamed, guilty, or distressed after a binge?
• Do you frequently zone out during a binge?
• Do you binge often?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, it might be time to seek treatment.

Do I need treatment?

The best indicator of whether you need treatment is your emotions after a binge. Do you feel ashamed or guilty? Are you depressed and feel like your life is out of control? These are the mental aspects of an eating disorder.

What about the physical complications from bingeing? Your primary care physician will complete bloodwork and a physical exam to rule out any medical conditions related to the bingeing behavior before diagnosing. Bingeing can lead to obesity, joint pain, digestive issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other grave conditions.

Once you know that you need treatment, you can begin to proactively make lifestyle changes even before your first appointment with a specialist. The following is a list of some of our top tips:

Be mindful of hunger An episode of binge-eating may or may not happen when you are hungry. However, being aware of your hunger cues can help you be mindful of when you are reaching the point when your stomach is full.

Has it been a few hours since you last ate? Is your stomach growling or feeling empty? If your last meal consisted of unhealthy junk foods, your blood sugar might crash, leaving you dizzy, lightheaded, and faint. This can set you up for a binge to counteract the effects of low blood sugar.

Know your trigger foods and emotions If your emotions are running high, they can trigger a binge. Feeling stressed, overwhelmed, lonely, sad, hurt, or angry can leave you wanting something to take away the emotion.

You are looking for a way to fill your heart, but instead of turning to God and his word, you reach (sometimes unconsciously) for comfort food. If you find yourself bingeing on the same foods every time, consider removing those foods from your home until you feel confident in your treatment and more in control.

Slow down and focus When you catch yourself in the pantry, refrigerator, or car looking for a place to grab a quick bite, stop and consider your surroundings and mood. Are you actually hungry, or are you trying to avoid a particular emotion?

When you sit down to eat, eliminate all distractions to avoid zoning out during the meal. Turn off your phone, television, and other screens and focus on the portion in front of you. If you must eat in the car, pack your meal in a portion-controlled container.

Journal your food intake Sometimes change is preceded by an “ah-ha” moment, the moment you realize that you must change or else. There is something powerful in the “ah-ha” moment. It propels you to make better choices, learn new things, and stop making excuses.

Journaling your daily meals and snacks could be your “ah-ha” moment. Forcing yourself to write down every bite during a binge could be the eye-opener you need to make a change. Jot down your mood when the binge began and how you felt afterward. Analyzing your emotions can lead to a breakthrough.

Plan your meals Bingeing leaves you feeling out of control. If you sit down once a week and plan out your meals and snacks (leaving it flexible), you are more likely to stick to the plan, even on the busiest days. Knowing you have something good to look forward to every few hours may head off a binge. Plan to eat every three to four hours to keep your blood sugar constant.

Train your body When you exercise, your appetite decreases as hunger hormones shift. If the word exercise gives you images of leotard-clad women bouncing around to aerobics music, then think of it as training your body.

God wants us to train both our physical body to keep it fit and ready for His service, and our spiritual body. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8 NLT)

These are a few activities you can try before and during binge-eating treatment. But once you agree to an appointment with an eating disorder therapist, what can you expect during your sessions?

What can I expect from binge-eating treatment?

Each client is unique, and we tailor our treatment plans to meet your needs. Some of the therapies listed below will not pertain to your treatment plan, but others will become the foundation of your recovery with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – CBT has been proven to be beneficial in helping people with mental conditions across the board, from anxiety and depression to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to eating disorders.

CBT works with the negative thoughts that run through our minds before a binge. It teaches us how to catch those thoughts and change the verbiage, thus changing the resulting behavioral pattern. Since bingeing is, in part, a condition based on the behavior, changing the thoughts preceding the binge should change the binge-eating behavior.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) – DBT works to make the client aware of the present moment and stop zoning out, particularly during a binge. The therapy also uses the client’s tolerance by slowly increasing it, so they learn to face their emotions head-on instead of escaping from them. DBT is used to teach clients communication skills for conflict resolution.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) – IPT focuses on the communication and relationship issues that may be affecting the client and possibly at the root of the eating disorder. When we have problems in our relationships, it can result in psychological problems and negative behaviors. IPT gets to the origin of these issues and uses new problem-solving skills to strengthen relationships and resolve conflicts.

Group Counseling – Group counseling provides support, advice, encouragement, and psychological techniques. Clients feel safe in smaller groups to share with others dealing with binge-eating and various eating disorders. Each session is confidential and hosted by a licensed counselor.

Each of our counselors treats binge-eating disorder in their own way and personalizes their treatments to the client. However, you always have a say in how you feel about a particular treatment strategy.

When You Need Treatment

The first step to overcoming binge-eating is realizing you need help. The second step is seeking assistance in breaking the cycle of this severe eating disorder before it leads to physical and mental illnesses.

Reach out to one of our counselors today to discuss diagnosis and treatment options. Even if you have tried counseling before, give us a call. We customize your treatment plan while helping you grow in your faith and relationship with Jesus. Together, we can beat binge-eating disorder.