Binge-eating disorder therapy

Binge eating disorder is a very common eating disorder in our society and a very new diagnostic category. Unlike bulimia, where bingeing also appears, the person with this disorder does not try to compensate with purgative behavior.  The bingeing behavior is frequently associated with gaining weight. Althoug people with binge eating disorder want to lose weight, they normally don´t apply any strategies besides diets.

Binge eating disorder can be diagnosed if bingeing appears in the form of episodes or cycles 1 time per week during the last 3 months.

It is important to understand well what binge eating is. The clinical meaning of a binge does not always correspond to what we commonly understand by binge eating. Binge eating is eating an amount of food that is greater than what most people would eat over a similar period under similar circumstances. It is accompanied by a feeling of lack of control over what is eaten during the episode.

Binge eating episodes are associated with the following:

• Eating much faster than normal.
• Eating until you feel unpleasantly full.
• Eating large amounts of food when you don’t feel physically hungry.
• Eating alone due to embarrassment over the amount eaten.
• Later feeling disgusted with oneself, depressed or very ashamed.

Binge eating disorder is based on using food to anesthetize some emotions that we don´t know how to manage in another way.

This behavior creates a lot of shame, discomfort and self-deprecation, which negatively affects our self-esteem and relationships. These problems also cause strong unpleasant emotions that the person does not know how to manage. As a consequence, use food to anesthetize them. A vicious circle is created which is very difficult to break.

Binge-eating disorder is closely related to the body and inadequate emotional management. The treatment for the binge eating disorder that we do is designed to help improve the relationship with oneself, emotional management, and relationships.

Our treatments are complete, multidisciplinary and from the Mentalization Based Therapy perspective. This approach has proved to have a strong scientific base and to be effective in Eating Disorders.

First of all, we offer psychotherapy with highly qualified therapists specialized in the treatments of Eating Disorders. Either in the form of individual treatment and/or Group therapy.

Moreover, we offer support from a nutritionist, who specializes in treating Eating Disorders, and of a medical doctor, who collaborates with a team of therapists and takes care of the somatic symptoms related to Eating Disorders.

And finally, there is a group program on mindful eating led by both a therapist and a medical doctor. The group is both a therapeutic group and a support group. It is aimed at helping people to approach differently their eating habits and eating behavior.