Binge Eating

Binge eating problems involve regularly eating large portions of food all at once and usually very quickly until you feel uncomfortably full or even bloated.

It is not unusual to then have feelings of guilt immediately following an episode and it is considered by some schools of thought as a form of self-harm.

Binge eating sessions are often planned in advance and the person may buy even “special” binge foods such as cakes, or foods with a high carbohydrate content.

Binge eating problems can affect both men and women and it most frequently starts in the late teens or early 20s.

Binge eaters usually perform this act with as much secrecy as they can.

Symptoms of Binge Eating

The main symptoms associated with binge eating frequently include:

• Eating large amounts of food
• Eating very fast during a binge
• Eating until you feel uncomfortably full
• Eating when you’re not hungry
• Eating alone or secretly
• Feeling depressed, guilty, ashamed or even disgusted after binge eating

Signs of Binge Eating Problems in Others

The following sign might indicate that someone you know has an binge eating problem:

• Eating a lot of food, very fast
• Actively hiding how much they are eating
• Creating food stores
• Putting on weight, although this is not always associated with binge eating

Potential Causes of Binge Eating Problems

There are no definitive ’causes’ of binge eating or other eating issues, however, you may be more likely to develop binge eating problems if:

• A member of your family has a history of eating disorders, depression, or alcohol abuse or drug addiction.
• You have experienced strong criticism of your eating habits, body shape or weight.
• You are overly concerned with being slim, particularly if you also feel pressure from society or your job.
• You have anxiety, low self-esteem, an obsessive personality or have a “perfectionist” thinking style.

If you think you may have binge eating problem we advise that you consult your GP in the first instance and before seeking out psychological help

With the right treatment and support, most people recover from binge eating problems, but it does take time, effort and a desire to overcome the problem in order to be successful.

Psychological Therapy for Binge Eating

Tranceform Psychology can offer a range of different psychological therapy solutions for binge eating which you can read about below.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Binge Eating Problems

If you’re committed to overcoming your binge eating problems then we highly recommend following our Tranceformental CBT 10 session programme.

The Tranceformental programme is a highly successful & pragmatic mental health counselling course, run over 10 sessions, that will teach you everything you need to know to understand your problem, identify how unhelpful thinking and limiting beliefs might be reinforcing the issue, and then show you how to make any changes to your unhelpful thinking styles or maladaptive safety behaviours that you may have developed as part of your coping strategies.

The programme is also available as an online self-help CBT programme.

Our Tranceformental CBT programme is an evidence-based, research supported approach used by mental health practitioners around the World.

Alternative Therapies for Binge Eating

Although our preferred form of mental health counselling for binge eating is Tranceformental CBT we also offer alternative psychotherapies for those who might prefer a different approach.

These include:

Psychodynamic therapy which focuses more on emotional problems and relies on the Therapeutic Relationship to bring about change. Available with Paul.

General Counselling which is less structured but still provides a safe and non-judgmental environment to discuss issues which is therapeutic in its own right.

Hypnotherapy is an alternative form of therapy that can be applied to a very wide range of problems and is available with Joan.

Free Initial Consultations for Binge Eating

We offer all prospective clients an initial consultation to discuss your binge eating issues prior to commencing any treatment plans.

The consultation is free and lasts around 50 minutes.

During this consultation we will discuss the various options that are available to you and make a considered recommendation based on your individual personal circumstances.

Initial consultations are also available as part of our online therapy service.

At Tranceform Psychology we recognise the importance of the therapeutic relationship in helping people to bring about effective change, so its important to be able to ‘meet’ to discuss our change programmes BEFORE proceeding.

Our policy is to help people make a fully balanced & considered decision about undertaking work with us, including both the financial and personal implications.