Binge Eating (Overeating) Disorder Symptoms & Treatment
What is Binge Eating Disorder?
Binge eating disorder is characterized by compulsive overeating. This means an individual consumes large amounts of food, all while feeling out of control and powerless to stop. Symptoms of binge eating disorder usually manifest in late adolescence or early adulthood, and frequently occur after a major diet.
Binge eating episodes typically last around two hours, but some people may binge off and on all day. Binge eating is often characterized by individuals eating even when they’re not hungry, and continuing to eat long after they are full.
It is not uncommon for compulsive over eaters to gorge themselves, yet barely register what they are eating or tasting.
What are the symptoms of binge eating? The key features of binge eating disorder are:
- Frequent episodes of uncontrollable binge or overeating eating
- Feeling extreme distress during or after binging
- Thinking about eating seemingly all the time
- Eating in secret
- Eating beyond satisfaction to the point of stuffing or discomfort
- Unlike bulimia (which involves purging via techniques like vomiting or the use of laxatives), there are no regular attempts to “make up” for the binges through vomiting, fasting, or over-exercising.
If you are struggling with binge eating disorder, you likely feel intense guilt, disgust, and depression as a result of your overeating. You worry what your compulsive eating will do to your body and beat yourself up for your “lack of self-control.” Binge eaters desperately want to stop binge eating, but feel like they cannot.
What are the dangerous physical complications of binge eating?
Binge eating can lead to serious physical and emotional problems. People with binge eating disorder are more prone to health issues, stress, insomnia, and suicidal thoughts than people without an eating disorder. Depression, anxiety, and even substance abuse are common byproducts of binge eating.
The most prominent effect of binge eating disorder, though, is weight gain. Over time, the weight gain can lead to obesity. Obesity, in turn, causes numerous medical complications, including:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Gallbladder disease
- Severe fatigue
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Certain types of cancer
- Shortness of breath
- Osteoarthritis
- Joint and muscle pain
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Sleep apnea
Binge eating does not need to define you. The warm, energetic and happy person that you are is still inside of you. With quality care, you can overcome your binge eating disorder. There is proven, lasting help at The Center • A Place of HOPE.
Whole-person care at The Center • A Place of HOPE
Whole-person care was created by Dr. Gregory Jantz, PhD, the founder of The Center • A Place of HOPE, in the early 1980’s. Dr. Jantz noticed that other programs were treating just the symptoms of an individual’s disorder or addiction. This type of narrowly focused treatment was not providing long-lasting care – complete recovery and freedom from one’s disorder – needed to define true success. Dr. Jantz is a certified eating disorder specialist and the author of bestsellerHope, Help, and Healing For Eating Disorders: A Whole Person Approach To Anorexia, Bulimia, and Disordered Eating.
Whole-person care treats the entire you — your mind, body and spirit.
Whole-person care treats your entire person, all aspects of your life – physical, mental, emotional, nutritional, fitness, spiritual – to enable complete healing for your mind, body and spirit. In this way, you work through all components of your life that have contributed to your current condition. The result is a deeper, longer-lasting and more complete recovery.
Your very own team of world-class professionals assigned just to you
At The Center • A Place of HOPE, we assign a team of world-class licensed and board-certified professionals just to you. Team members are highly specialized and include licensed medical doctors, psychiatrists, eating disorder specialists, psychologists, nutritionists, dieticians, mental health counselors, chemical dependency counselors, fitness trainers, registered nurses, marriage and family counselors and clergy.
They take the time to get to know you personally and understand all of your life events that have contributed to your current situation. They then create a treatment program that is uniquely tailored to you, personalized to your individual needs and life experiences, and built to return you to a place of lasting balance, health and happiness.
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Treatment Costs
Each treatment program is different, and the length and level of care required in each program varies. But each person discusses the cost of their program with a trained program specialist prior to arrival to fully understand what costs are involved. Costs are on a per-diem basis and include professional transportation to and from the Seattle airport, all lodging in modern luxury condominium-style apartments, morning and afternoon meals, and all treatment programs including all medical and psychological evaluations.
Most major insurance policies are accepted for treatment. For any out-of-pocket expenses, The Center • A Place of HOPE works with trusted financing firms to offer payment plans. Call us today at 1-888-771-5166 / 425-771-5166 to speak with a financial specialist who can help find the right solution for you.
Our Promise to You
Many programs make promises and provide quick fixes. Unfortunately, quick fixes don’t provide the lasting results needed to enjoy lifelong happiness and true recovery. At The Center • A Place of HOPE you will notice an atmosphere of respect, confidentiality and trust in every interaction we have with you. We work with you to understand your situation and fully address your questions or concerns.
Ready to take the next step?
Are you or a loved one struggling with addiction. Call us today at 1-888-771-5166 / 425-771-5166 to speak with an eating disorder specialist. It is a free, confidential call. We answer all of your questions and discuss what an anxiety treatment program might look like for you. Or, you can start by filling out the quick and easy form on the top of this page. An addiction specialist will contact you soon and answer all of your questions. You can reclaim, restore and reconnect to a healthy life. We care, and we can help you.
“I went to The Center because I wanted to learn healthy ways to deal with stress, anxiety, depression and to get help to overcome my eating disorder.
My experience with my treatment team was excellent. Everyone was very kind and knowledgeable. They helped me learn things about myself that I had never known before. It was very easy to open up to all of them and express concerns and difficulties. My experience with my medical team was very good. The medications I was given were very helpful in my recovery, and all of my concerns were promptly addressed by my medical team. I would like to thank them for helping me see that although letting go can be difficult, it is worth it. The daily meditations we read in ED Homeroom always brought a new perspective to my day and ultimately helped me change my perspective of myself, bulimia, and life in general.
Although I found all of the classes beneficial, some of the most important things I learned were from DBT. I didn’t know before that just because I thought or felt something, it didn’t mean it was true! DBT helped me realize that I can observe my thoughts and use my wise mind to make good decisions.
Recovery is painful, and there are good days, bad days, and downright horrible days. The key is to keep moving one foot in front of the other, no matter how small your steps are, and taking things one day at a time. Take hold of hope, and no matter how stormy things get, don’t let go. This is what I learned at The Center! Thank you all.”
Tiffany, 18 - FemaleFree Initial Consultation
We encourage you to visit with our team of professionals regarding the eating disorder treatment services you need. You can reach us by filling out this form or by calling 1-888-771-5166 / 425-771-5166 to speak with a licensed eating disorder specialist. It is a free, confidential call. Financing is available.
Are you or a loved one struggling with an eating disorder?
Fill out our quick and easy form, or call us today at 1-888-771-5166 / 425-771-5166 to speak confidentially to a caring specialist.
Help is one phone call away.