How To Stop Binging: Tips From a Binge Eating Disorder Therapist in Salt Lake City, Utah
Many women in Salt Lake City struggle with binge eating in silence, feeling trapped in cycles of restriction, overeating, guilt, and shame. Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder, yet it often goes unrecognized for years.Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder, and it impacts many people across the globe. BED involves regular episodes of eating large amounts of food in a short period of time. These binge eating episodes lead to feeling out of control with food and are often followed up with feelings of guilt and shame. While BED is a complex mental health condition, stress, trauma, and past experiences can have a negative effect on one's physical and mental health.
The women I work with that struggle with binge eating, not only feel guilt and shame for their behaviors but also take a hit to their self-esteem. They can’t understand why they can be successful in areas of their lives but this is an area they can’t stop struggling in. They hate their bodies and are terrified of the weight gain that might come from binges. If you are like them, you desperately want to stop binging. If binge eating feels like something you’ve been battling on your own, binge eating disorder treatment in Salt Lake City can provide the support and clarity you’ve been missing.How do I stop the urge to binge?
Binge eating can be hard to let go of. It might seem like no matter how hard you try, you just keep binging. One thing that people don’t realize about binging is that is often a result of restriction. Having a history of dieting and cutting out food groups, can lead to vicious cycles of binge eating. Stopping the urge to binge can be hard, but there are things you can do that can help. Here are some ideas on how to stop the urge to binge:
Practice mindfulness:
Mindfulness techniques, like meditation and deep breathing, can help you be more aware of your thoughts, emotions, and body sensations. This can help you recognize the triggers that lead to binge eating and learn to respond to them in a more helpful way.
Eat regular meals:
Skipping meals or restricting food will lead to intense hunger and increase the likelihood of binge eating. Eating regular, balanced meals throughout the day can help reduce the urge to binge.
Find coping skills that work:
Binge eating can be a way of coping with difficult emotions or stress. Finding alternative coping strategies, such as exercise, relaxation techniques, or creative activities, can help you manage these emotions without turning to food.
Meet with a binge eating disorder therapist:
Binge eating disorder is a complex mental health issue that often requires professional help from someone with the right training and experience. Reaching out to a therapist who specializes in treating eating disorders can help you work through why you are prone to binge. We can provide you with support, compassion, and guidance on how to overcome the urge to binge.
Why can’t I stop a binge?
There are several reasons why someone may find it challenging to stop a binge. Every person has a unique experience with binge eating but here are some possible reasons:
Chemical imbalances: Binge eating disorder has been associated with chemical imbalances in the brain, specifically involving the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is involved in reward and pleasure. These imbalances may make it difficult for some people to stop a binge once they start.
Emotional triggers: Binge eating can be triggered by emotional distress, such as stress, anxiety, or depression. These emotions can be overwhelming and hard to manage, leading to an intense urge to binge eat as a way of coping.
Habitual behavior: Binge eating can become a habitual behavior that is difficult to break, especially if it has been a struggle for a long time. The brain may become accustomed to the pattern of binge eating and perceive it as the norm.
Restrictive eating: Restrictive eating patterns, such as skipping meals or following a strict diet, can increase the likelihood of binge eating. This is because the body may go into a state of deprivation and intense hunger, leading to an overwhelming urge to eat large amounts of food.
Lack of coping skills: Some people may lack healthy coping skills to deal with emotional distress or stressors in their lives. This can lead to binge eating as a way of self-soothing or coping with these difficult feelings.
Why do I binge at night?
Binge eating at night can have several possible causes. Here are some common reasons why someone may binge eat at night:
Emotional triggers: Nighttime can be a hard time for people who struggle with binge eating disorder. Nighttime might bring on emotions such as loneliness, stress, or anxiety. These emotions can trigger a desire to eat as a way of coping with these feelings.
Fatigue and lack of energy: After a long day, you may feel fatigued and lack the energy to engage in other activities, leading to a higher desire to eat as a form of entertainment or distraction.
Lack of structure and routine: Nighttime can be less structured and routine than daytime, leading to boredom or a lack of focus. This can trigger a desire to eat as a way of filling time or relieving boredom.
Caloric restriction during the day: If someone is following a restrictive diet or skipping meals during the day, they may feel intensely hungry at night, leading to a higher likelihood of binge eating.
5 Reasons to work with a binge eating disorder therapist
Working with a binge eating disorder therapist can be incredibly beneficial for several reasons:
1. Specialized eating disorder expertise: Binge eating disorder therapists have specialized training and expertise in treating binge eating disorder. They can help you understand the root causes of your binge eating behavior and develop skills for overcoming it.
2. Individualized treatment: Binge eating disorder therapists will work with you to develop an individual treatment plan that addresses your specific needs and goals. They can help you identify triggers and develop coping skills that work for you.
3. Support and encouragement: Binge eating disorder therapists provide support and encouragement throughout the treatment process. They can help you manage relapses and celebrate successes, providing motivation to continue working toward recovery from binge eating.
4. Addressing other issues: Many individuals with binge eating disorder also struggle with other mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression. Binge eating disorder therapists can help address these issues.
5. Help with eating disorder recovery: Working with a binge eating disorder therapist can provide you with the tools and resources you need to achieve long-term recovery. They can help you develop a plan to not only cope but to help you overcome your past trauma that may be contributing to needing to cope with emotions using food.
Binge eating disorder treatment in Salt Lake City, Utah, can help
With the guidance and support of an eating disorder therapist, you can learn to break free from binge eating and develop a healthy relationship with food and body image. Binge eating disorder treatment in Salt Lake City, Utah can provide you with the tools you need to have a happier, healthier life. You have unique experiences and needs and binge eating disorder treatment can be tailored to get exactly what you need.
Binge Eating Disorder Treatment in Salt Lake City, Utah
If you’re exhausted from the binge–guilt–start over tomorrow” cycle, you’re not alone. Many women in Salt Lake City struggle with binge eating, feeling out of control around food while still managing careers, families, and responsibilities. Binge eating disorder treatment isn’t about harsh rules, rigid meal plans, or judging your willpower. It’s about understanding what’s driving the binges, stress, restriction, emotional overwhelm, shame and building a more stable, compassionate relationship with food and yourself. Through online therapy, you can meet with a therapist who specializes in binge eating disorder treatment in Salt Lake City from the privacy of your home. Healing is possible, and support can make this process feel far less lonely and far more manageable. If you’re ready to take the next step, you can schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to see if we’re a good fit.
Start binge eating disorder treatment in Salt Lake City, Utah
You don’t have to keep struggling with binge eating. You can find peace with food and your body image. Binge eating disorder treatment can help. Maple Canyon Therapy has a binge eating disorder therapist specializing in treating binge eating disorder.
Meet with an eating disorder therapist
Begin eating disorder recovery
Online Eating Disorder Therapy
It’s important to be able to have access to a therapist specializing in what you are struggling with. When you are struggling with an eating disorder, you need to trust you are going to get help from someone who knows how. Not every town in Utah has an eating disorder therapist, this is why I offer online therapy in Utah. Online therapy is just as effective as in-person therapy but much more convenient.
Online counseling means I work with clients all over Utah. I work with clients in Salt Lake City and all throughout the state
Therapy Services for Women in Salt Lake City.
Binge eating disorder treatment isn’t the only counseling service provided. Other mental health services provided by Maple Canyon Therapy include eating disorder therapy, anxiety therapy, body image therapy, counseling for college students, birth trauma therapy, and EMDR therapy. Reach out for a 15-minute phone consultation to see how I can help.
About the Author
Ashlee Hunt is an eating disorder therapist and founder of Maple Canyon Therapy, serving women in Salt Lake City and all throughout Utah through online therapy. Ashlee has a master's degree in social work from Utah State University in Logan, Utah. She has two bachelor's degrees from Southern Utah University in Cedar City in psychology and family life and human development. Ashlee loves helping women overcome binge eating and to be able to feel better about themselves. She knows how women who struggle with binge eating disorder feel shame and wants to help them develop self-compassion instead.