Binge eating disorder can seriously affect a person’s physical and mental health. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most effective treatment. Healthcare professionals can prescribe it alone or in combination with other therapies.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a type of eating disorder that involves periods of excessive eating. This can cause health issues linked to diet, such as high cholesterol levels and diabetes.

Eating disorders are not about food alone. That is why healthcare professionals recognize them as psychiatric disorders. People typically develop them as a way of managing deeper issues or other psychological conditions, such as anxiety or depression.

Learn more about the symptoms, causes, and health risks of BED, as well as how to get help and support.

If you’re preoccupied with food or your weight, feel guilt about food choices, or engage in restrictive diets, consider reaching out for support. These behaviors may indicate a disordered relationship with food or an eating disorder.

Disordered eating and eating disorders can affect anyone, regardless of gender identity, race, age, socioeconomic status, or other identities.

A combination of biological, social, cultural, and environmental factors may cause them — not just by exposure to diet culture.

Consider speaking with a healthcare professional or contacting the National Alliance for Eating Disorders. They offer a daytime helpline staffed by licensed therapists and an online search tool for treatment options. For general mental health support at any time, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 24 hours a day at 1-800-662-4357 (or 1-800-487-4889 for TTY).

People with BED may eat a lot of food in a short amount of time, even if they aren’t hungry. Emotional stress can often play a key role and might trigger a period of binge eating.

A person might feel a sense of release or relief during a binge but experience feelings of shame or loss of control afterward.

For you to receive a diagnosis of BED, 3 or more of the following symptoms must be present:

  • eating much more rapidly than usual
  • eating until uncomfortably full
  • eating large amounts without feeling hungry
  • eating alone due to feelings of embarrassment and shame
  • feelings of guilt or disgust with oneself after binge eating

People with BED often experience feelings of extreme unhappiness and distress about their overeating, body shape, or weight.

The causes of BED are not well understood, but a variety of risk factors include:

  • Genetics: People with BED may have increased sensitivity to dopamine, a chemical in your brain that’s responsible for feelings of reward and pleasure. There is also strong evidenceTrusted Source that the disorder is inherited.
  • Gender: BED is more common in women than in men. The National Institute of Health reports that around 1.25%Trusted Source of women and 0.42% of men have binge eating disorder. This might be due to underlying biological factors.
  • Body image: People with BED often have a negative body image. They find flaws in their body that are often not noticed by others. Dieting and overeating contribute to the development of the disorder.
  • Emotional trauma: Stressful life events, such as abuse, death, or separation from a family member, are risk factorsTrusted Source for eating disorders. Childhood bullying due to weight may also be a factor.
  • Other psychological conditions: Many people with BED have at least oneTrusted Source other psychological disorder, such as phobia, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, anxiety, or substance misuse.

The following triggers can cause an episode of binge eating:

  • stress
  • dieting
  • negative feelings relating to body weight or body shape
  • the availability of food

The treatment plan for BED depends on the causes and severity of the eating disorder, and individual goals.

Treatment options may target binge eating behaviors, excess weight, body image, mental health issues, or a combination of these.

Therapy

Common treatment options for BED typically include behavioral therapies, either in combination or alone, such as:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This therapy focuses on analyzing the relationships between negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to eating, body shape, and weight. Once mental health care professionals identify the causes of negative emotions and patterns, they can develop strategies to help manage symptoms.
  • Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT): The basis of this therapy is that binge eating is a coping mechanism for unresolved issues such as grief, relationship conflicts, or significant life changes. The goal is to identify the problem linked to the negative eating behavior, acknowledge it, and then make constructive changes over several weeks.
  • Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): This treatment option sees binge eating as an emotional reaction to negative experiences that a person has no other way of coping with. It helps people regulate their emotional responses to cope with negative situations in daily life without binging.
  • Behavioral weight loss therapy: This option aims to help people lose weight, which may reduce binge eating behavior by improving self-esteem and body image. The intent is to make gradual healthy lifestyle changes in their diet and exercise, as well as monitor food intake and thoughts about food throughout the day.

Therapy may either be in a group format or on a one-to-one basis with a trained therapist.

Medication

Several medications are available that help treat binge eating and are often more accessible than traditional therapy.

However, healthcare professionals do not recommend medication to be the only treatment used for BED. Instead, a combination of behavioral therapy and medication can be beneficial.

Common medications for BED include:

  • antidepressants
  • antiepileptic drugs
  • stimulants used to treat hyperactive disorders

As many people with BED have other mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, they may also receive additional medications to treat these conditions.

Most people occasionally overeat, such as during Thanksgiving day or a party. However, this does not mean they have BED despite having experienced some of the symptoms listed above.

To receive a diagnosisTrusted Source, a healthcare professional will look at your symptoms and eating patterns.

BED typically starts in the late teens to early twenties, although it can occur at any age. People generally need support to help overcome BED and develop a healthy relationship with food. If left untreated, BED can last for many years.

BED relates to a higher risk of developing conditions such as overweight and obesity. However, BED is an independent risk factor causing weight gain and obesity. This is due to the increased calorie intake during binge episodes.

On its own, obesity increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.

Other health risks associated with BED include:

The first step in overcoming binge eating is speaking with a healthcare professional. They can help you with a diagnosis, determine the severity of the disorder, and recommend the most appropriate treatment.

The most effective treatment is CBT, but many other treatments also exist. Depending on individual circumstances, just one therapy or a combination may work best.

No matter which treatment strategy doctors prescribe, it is important to also make healthy lifestyle and diet choices when possible.

Here are some additional helpful strategies:

  • Keep a food and mood diary: Identifying personal triggers is an important step in learning how to manage binge impulses.
  • Practice mindfulness: This can help increase awareness of triggers while helping increase self-control and maintaining self-acceptance.
  • Find someone to talk with: It is important to have support, whether it is through a partner, family, a friend, binge eating support groups, or online.
  • Choose nutritious foods: A diet consisting of foods high in protein and unsaturated fats, regular meals, and whole foods will help satisfy your hunger and provide needed nutrients.

BED is a common eating disorder that, if not treated, can seriously affect a person’s health.

It involves repeated, unmanageable episodes of eating large amounts of food accompanied by feelings of shame and guilt.

It can negatively affect your overall health, body weight, self-esteem, and mental health.

Effective treatments are available for BED, including CBT and IPT. Healthy lifestyle strategies can be incorporated into everyday life to help manage symptoms.