What is binge eating disorder?

Binge eating disorder is a mental health disorder affecting attitudes and behaviour towards eating and food, that can have harmful consequences for both physical and mental health. People with binge eating disorders eat more food than most other people would in a similar time period and in similar circumstances and feel that they have no control over their eating during a binge. If you feel that you eat: extremely fast, beyond feeling full, a lot when not hungry, in secret to hide the amount that is being eaten, or feel terrible after a binge, you may suffer from binge eating disorder.

In order to meet the diagnosis for the disorder, you must experience at least three of these symptoms once a week for three months.

Unlike other eating disorders such as bulimia, people suffering from binge eating disorder do not try and compensate or ‘correct’ for their overeating by purging.If you feel that the above applies to you or someone you know, therapy can be a huge help.

Which therapies might help?

• Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)
• Modified dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT).

The psychologists at My Online Therapy are trained in these therapies and have experience with binge eating disorder.