Binge Eating Therapy

Do you struggle with compulsive overeating? Do you lose control around food? Do you experience a lot of shame, guilt, disgust or regret around your eating?

Common Signs You May Be Struggling with Binge Eating

  • Eating large amounts of food when you are not hungry

  • Eating until you are uncomfortably full

  • Difficulty stopping eating

  • Eating rapidly

  • Eating in secrecy

  • Hiding what you eat from others

  • Feeling confused about why you keep eating in this way and/or powerless to stop it

  • Feelings of shame, guilt or disgust about your eating

You do not have to struggle alone. It is possible to break free from binge eating.

As out of control and ashamed as you may feel, it is important to understand that binge eating makes sense and is very treatable.

 Why Do People Binge Eat?

Binge eating is a complex behaviour, with several possible contributing factors. Here are some of the most common contributing factors.

  • When you do not feed your body enough food, your body will take action to try to ensure you feed it more. For example your body will increase the intensity of cravings, make you preoccupied with thoughts of food, and delay feelings of fullness. These physiological responses are outside of your control and increase the likelihood you will lose control around food.

  • Individuals with a history food insecurity (i.e., not having access to adequate food) are more susceptible for developing eating-related challenges, including binge eating. This is for the same reasons described above.

  • Depriving yourself of certain foods can make you more susceptible to losing control around these foods. When you experience a loss of freedom, even if it is self-imposed, this can lead to a phenomenon called “psychological reactance.” With psy psychological reactance you feel strongly motivated to rebel against the rule that you avoid a certain food. You may also experience the “what the hell” effect where you eat as much as you can of a certain food because you think you have “alread blown it” and plan to resume avoiding the food again tomorrow.

  • Eating is one of the earliest forms of comfort we experience as human beings. While binge eating often results in increased distress by contributing to feelings of shame, guilt, depression or disgust, it is very effective at providing comfort in the moment, distracting you from what you may be feeling, or helping you numb your feelings. This immediate benefit of binge eating is very reinforcing and increases the likelihood you will binge eat again when you are experiencing difficult emotions.

The Relationship Between Binge Eating and Trauma

Many individuals (NOT ALL) who struggle with binge eating also have a history of trauma. Trauma can cause distressing thoughts and feelings and people who have experienced trauma often turn to behaviours that help them cope with their trauma symptoms. Eating can be one of these behaviours that helps individuals cope. Eating may be a means to distract from difficult thoughts or emotions, to comfort and soothe oneself, or to numb painful emotions.

Individuals with a history of trauma also often become disconnected from their bodies as a result of the trauma, making them more susceptible to developing eating issues. It is hard to honour your hunger and fullness signals when you can’t feel your body.

If you have a history of trauma and are struggling with binge eating, it is important to find a therapist who has specialized training in both areas.

You cannot eat in a regulated way when your nervous system is dysregulated.

Counselling for Binge Eating

Our counsellors have experience and specialized training in helping individuals overcome binge eating.

Your therapist will assess what is contributing to, and maintaining, your binge eating. This information will allow your therapist to develop a personalized treatment plan to help you overcome binge eating. The approach taken with each individual will vary, but counselling for binge eating may involve:

  • Helping you understand why you binge eat

  • Helping you break free from the restrict-binge cycle by educating you about how these behaviours perpetuate one another and supporting you to make sustainable behavioural changes

  • Helping you get your hunger and fullness cues back online

  • Increasing your interoception skills (i.e., your ability to perceive sensations inside your body)

  • Supporting you to increase your capacity to notice and trust the feedback your body is providing about ways of eating that feel healthy, satisfying and nourishing

  • Teaching you additional ways to manage your emotions so that you are not having to rely on food

  • Helping you shift unhelpful internal dialogues and ways of relating to yourself that may be contributing to your eating challenges.

  • If you have a history of trauma, your therapist may

    • Help you recognize how binge eating was a survival strategy (and likely a very effective one) that helped you cope with what was going on using what resources you had available to you at the time

    • Help you understand and learn to regulate your nervous system

    • Help you increase awareness of your trauma responses (i.e., symptoms) and teach you resources, or help you access resources you already possess, to help you deal with these symptoms effectively.

    • Help you process past traumatic experiences

    • You can learn more about trauma therapy here