Nick Kemp - Treating Binge Eating

I regularly see clients for what is commonly described as "binge eating". However it's important to remember that this term, like so many others, is a big generalisation, in that within this generalisation there are many different types of behavior. In most instances a person will feel an irresistible feeling of wanting to over eat, usually in an extremely hurried manner. Often the binge eating is then followed by purging resulting in an unhelpful cycle where the client feels disempowered and helpless, possibly with negative emotions about themselves, and then may oscillate between distress, anger, remorse, shame and guilt.

In many instances the binger has analysed the problem endlessly, to no useful effect and no amount of discussion and further analysis has proved helpful. Often previous attempted solutions have focused solely on "food" rather than on how the person is creating the unhelpful feeling that creates the problem. My approach with this and many other conditions is not to seek "why the person has the problem" but rather "how the problem is being created"

Often when a person is prone to binge eating, they will think both quickly and eat quickly as if everything is running at an inappropriate speed. By changing how they think about the problem, it's entirely possible to quickly change how they can then feel differently and respond differently. In many instances in just 2 – 3 sessions a person can experience a totally new sense of well being that previously had eluded them with a new range of options and strategies, associated with improved beliefs about themselves and what is possible.