Binge Eating Disorder or BED is a distinct eating disorder, characterized by recurring episodes of eating significantly larger amounts of food in a discrete period of time (i.e. any two-hour period) than most people would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances. These episodes are associated with feelings of distress and lack of control (i.e. the sense one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating).
Defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (aka the DSM-5) in May 2013, a person with BED may eat much more rapidly than normal, eat until feeling uncomfortably full, eat large amounts of food without feeling physically hungry, binge eat alone to hide the behavior due to embarrassment, or experience feelings of guilt after a binge episode. In these individuals, binge eating occurs, on average, at least once a week for three months. Unlike bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa, BED is not associated with inappropriate behaviors to compensate for binge eating (e.g. purging, excessive exercise or fasting).
We offer individual therapy, medication, and group programs for Binge Eating Disorder. If you feel you may have a problem, give us a call at 951-290-2997.
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