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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Article Home Adult and Senior Health Diagnosis and treatment of binge eating disorder

Diagnosis and treatment of binge eating disorder

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Binge eating disorder is not an illness that can be treated on your own. The goals for treatment of binge eating disorder are to reduce eating binges, improve emotional well being, and to lose weight.

 

Criteria for diagnosis

  • Recurrent episodes of binge eating, eating abnormally large amount of food with lack of control
  • Eating rapidly and eats until physically uncomfortable.
  • Eating until you are uncomfortably full
  • Eating large amounts when you are not hungry.
  • Eating alone out of embarrassment; or feeling disgusted, irritated, depressed or and even guilty after eating.
  • Binge eating occurs at least twice-thrice a week for at least five- six months.
  • Binge eating disorder is not associated with other inappropriate methods to compensate for overeating, such as self-induced vomiting.

 Treatment and drugs

 Psychotherapy:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy- Helps to cope better with triggering factors in binge-eating episodes, and negative feelings like depressed mood.
  • Interpersonal therapy: The goal is to improve the interpersonal skills with family, friends, and colleagues.
  • Dialectical behavior therapy: Helps to learn behavioral skills to tolerate stress, tension and emotional factors.

Medical treatment:

  • Antidepressant: SSRI’s and tricyclic antidepressants
  • Anticonvulsants: Topiramate
  • Anti obesity drugs: Sibutramine

Behavioral weight loss programs

  • Weight loss programs focus on losing excess body weight.
  • However, weight-loss programs, that are not medically supervised, may not be appropriate for everyone with binge-eating disorder.
  • Weight loss programs may also address issues that tend to trigger binges, but often to a lesser extent than psychotherapy does.

Lifestyle and home remedies

  • Don’t skip treatment therapy session
  • Avoid dieting this can trigger more binge episodes
  • Not to stock up foods, keep less food in the home.
  • Eat balanced and healthy diet
  • Aerobic exercises like brisk walking, swimming, and jogging.