Binge Eating Disorder

 

Do you often feel out of control with food? Do you head straight to the chocolate cake whenever you're bored, stressed or upset? Do you cringe when you look in the mirror? Is binge-eating interfering with your relationships, home or work?

 

 

A "yes" answer may indicate a problem with binge eating disorder, also known as compulsive overeating. Binge-eaters frequently experience out-of-control episodes where they eat large amounts of food in a short period of time. Or they may "graze" by eating non-stop throughout the day, eating when not hungry or until they are uncomfortably full. Individuals with the disorder are often ashamed and extremely distressed by their behavior yet feel incapable of stopping it. If left untreated, binge eating disorder may lead to obesity, high blood pressure, adult-onset diabetes, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety disorders, and other serious health issues.

 

What You Can Do

Fortunately, help and hope are available. At Pathways Center for Counseling, we specialize in helping individuals overcome binge-eating disorder and other eating issues. Our psychotherapist, Heather Kitchen, MSW, LCSW, is an eating disorder specialist who collaborates with physicians, dieticians and other practitioners to offer the most effective care possible.

We can help you learn strategies to manage the triggers that lead to binge-eating. Anxiety, loneliness or stress are just a few of the emotions that people try to "stuff" with food. Gain skills to cope with these emotions while improving self-esteem. You can get control over your eating and your life.