What is Binge Eating Disorder?

Currently one of the most prevalent eating disorders in the United States, Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is characterized by recurring episodes of consuming large quantities of food over a short period of time—to the point of discomfort or feeling ill. Binge Eating Disorder occurs three times as frequently as anorexia and bulimia combined, and it is more common than autism, Alzheimer’s and breast cancer.

While Binge Eating Disorder wasn’t designated as a diagnosable medical disorder until 2013, it is now recognized as a distinct psychological disorder in the diagnostic and statistical manual, DSM-5, as well as by insurance companies.

Causes of Binge Eating Disorder

We know there’s a larger need to address the way BED is viewed. You see, BED is not about a diet failure, a lack of willpower, or personal weakness. The cause runs so much deeper than that, and it’s characterized by a disrupted relationship with food.

Research shows that one in every two individuals with BED has experienced sexual abuse—which is significantly higher than the rates of abuse among those with anorexia or bulimia. Whether or not you’ve experienced abuse, we’ll help you heal at the source of your disorder.

Unfortunately, the disorder is fueled by a misinformed society with a propensity toward body shaming. This often results in an intensely internalized weight stigma. Anyone who’s navigated life in a larger body understands this pressure all too well. We live in a diet culture that’s truly traumatizing.

At Discovery, we know that your weight is not the problem. BED is a disorder rooted in shame and secrecy around one’s relationship with food and body image.

Risks & Complications

Did you know that 97 percent of dieters regain lost weight—and then some—within three years? And that yo-yo dieting has been linked to heart disease, insulin resistance, higher blood pressure, inflammation, and, ironically, long-term weight gain?

Weight stigma can also lead to isolation, depression, and, ironically, increased binging or self-harming behavior. Between three and five million people in the United States struggle with BED. And BED is three times more common than anorexia and bulimia combined. What’s worse, over 70 percent of those with BED are not receiving any treatment.

Treatment for Binge Eating Disorder

Our BED expertise—and our Path to Peace treatment program—is a reflection of our passion for treating every single client with personalized attention and care for their specific needs.

Learn more about Path to Peace

Our program is founded on the core philosophy of Health at Every Size®, the principles of intuitive eating, and the vital importance of treatment viewed through a trauma-informed lens.

Our goal isn’t to “fix” your body. Rather, we want to help you get to the core of your Binge Eating Disorder. This will help you stop the food behaviors that are rooted in pain and disconnection.

Ready to Begin Your Journey?

What sets Discovery apart is our primary objective—to help change the symptoms of binge eating and provide insights into the root causes of the behaviors. We do that by providing a safe place for clients to heal the weight stigma they’ve internalized. And, just as importantly, inspire clients to find their voice.  

We know that every client is valuable and important. We think you should know it too.

Please call us at 866.482.3876. Together, we can begin your Path to Peace.

• Binge Eating Disorder: The Journey to Recovery and Beyond, 2018, by Amy Pershing and Chevese Turner.
• Overview and Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved February 06, 2018, from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/binge-eating-disorder

*Health At Every Size® and HAES® are registered trademarks of the Association for Size Diversity and Health and used with permission.