Binge Eating Disorder

Get help NOW. Discover treatments for binge eating disorders at Lakeview Health.

Binge eating disorders can have a serious impact on your life. But thankfully, compulsive eating disorders can be treated and you can recover. Get the help you deserve. Call 1-800-231-2950. The treatments at Lakeview Health are designed to help those suffering from binge eating disorders and get them back into a healthy lifestyle. For immediate assistance, call 1-800-231-2950 now. All calls are kept confidential. Our support staff is available 24/7 to take your call, so call now.

Compulsive Eating Disorders

Most people overeat at times; multiple helpings at holiday meals or mindlessly eating many donuts when under stress. These people feel very stuffed for a while and then go back to their normal, healthy eating habits.

Some people use food as a way to cope with emotional ups and downs or low self esteem. If this describes your eating style, this "emotional overeating" may help you to:

Calm and soothe your nerves
Counteract the effects of negative and positive emotional events, like a bad day at work, a fight with a loved one or a big promotion
Reward yourself for the task of living
Cope with stress, anxiety or worry

For some people, this overeating takes over their life, and they actually become addicted to food. Even though they may feel embarrassed and ashamed about gorging themselves and resolve to stop doing it, they have a compulsion to continue bingeing. This is called binge eating disorder.

Symptoms of Compulsive Eating Disorders

Binge eating disorder can be very difficult to recognize in a loved one. It is an affliction often dealt with in secrecy and the individual may not exhibit any physical signs that they have a compulsive overeating disorder. Here are some of the subtle signs and symptoms to look for if you believe you or a loved one is suffering from binge eating disorder.

Usually eat alone out of embarrassment
Eat until uncomfortably full
Eat an extreme amount of food even when not hungry
Feel out of control while eating
Eat when stressed out or overly-emotional
Feel guilty or depressed about overeating

Binge eating disorders should be taken extremely seriously as they are commonly a precursor to another eating disorder -- bulimia. Many people with compulsive eating disorders will try to counteract the effects of their bingeing by self-inducing vomiting and / or misusing laxatives, diuretics or enemas. Bulimia is a potentially fatal condition, so getting treatment for binge eating disorder before it progresses is extremely important.

Binge Eating Disorder and Substance Abuse

Individuals who are battling a binge eating disorder tend to keep their affliction very private. They are often embarrassed about their lack of control and as such, will often try to self-medicate themselves by turning to alcohol or drugs. This is called a dual diagnosis. If this has happened in your life, you can be treated and you can recover. But you have to get the help you need in order to do so.

If you or a loved one has a binge eating disorder and is also addicted to alcohol or drugs, then admission into a dual diagnosis rehab facility is recommended. A dual diagnosis facility provides a safe and comfortable setting in which to get your addiction under control and your compulsive eating disorders treated, all while under constant medical supervision.

Treating Compulsive Eating Disorders

If alcohol or drugs are part of the patient's history, then the patient will first have to complete a detox program before treatments for binge eating disorder can begin. This is an important step because the body is full of dangerous toxins due to the drugs or alcohol and they need to be eliminated. With a successful detox and rehab, the addiction will be controlled to the point where the physicians can focus on the underlying issue of binge eating.

Treatments for binge eating disorders may or may not include administration of medicines. In most cases, medicines are prescribed if there are any health issues that require them. If depression is evident in the patient, antidepressants may be prescribed, but for the binge eating disorder itself, there are no medications available that deal with it exclusively.

The most common type of treatment is psychotherapy. Psychotherapy has been proven very effective at treating binge eating disorder as it gets to the emotional heart of the subject matter and resolves the real issues behind the disorder. Psychotherapy can be used in conjunction with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy.

Education is perhaps the most important area of treatment. In essence, the patient will be learning how to eat again and view food from a new, healthy perspective. They will also learn exercise techniques to keep their bodies in good shape. With this new outlook and lifestyle firmly in hand, you stand a great chance of regaining and restarting your life. Don't put it off any longer, get the help you need today!

If you are looking for an effective dual diagnosis program specializing in treatments for binge eating disorder, call Lakeview Health Systems now at 1-800-231-2950. All calls are completely confidential and our staff is available to assist you 24 hours a day.