Healthy living and weight are a huge concern for most Americans. The main stream media has created the ideal look that is almost unachievable for most people; yet our desire to look the best and feel the best has created a multitude of problems. With the stress of losing or maintaining weight a priority, some people develop bad eating habits that can lead to various eating disorders over time. Binge eating is one eating disorder that has become common. It is characterized by a strong compulsion to over eat and the person is unable to stop until long past when they should be full. During these episodes the person has a loss of control over one’s urge to eat and inability to stop eating followed by feelings of remorse for their lack of self-control. There are therapies available for persons with this disorder.

Key Points:

• Some alternate therapies for binge eating disorder include cognitive behavioral treatment, emotional freedom technique, neuro-linguistic programming, and acceptance and commitment therapy.
• Binge eating is identified by compulsive overeating, where people continue to eat and feel unable to stop long after they should feel full.
• Characteristics are feeling guilty and remorseful about eating, loss of control over ability to stop eating, and being secretive about eating habits.