Why Do I Keep Binging?: A Salt Lake City Therapist Explains
If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in the binge eating cycle, you’ve probably wondered, “Why does this keep happening?” Many women in Salt Lake City struggle with the same frustrating pattern of trying to eat “better,” feeling in control for a while, then ending up back with binge foods and feeling defeated. This back-and-forth can feel confusing, exhausting, and deeply discouraging.
Understanding why binge eating happens is an important part of healing. Binge eating isn’t random or a lack of willpower, but it’s often connected to emotional stress, restriction, unmet needs, and long-standing coping patterns. As a therapist who works with women in Utah, I help clients make sense of these patterns so change can finally feel possible.
If you’re ready for support, binge eating disorder treatment in Salt Lake City can help you break the cycle and develop a more stable, compassionate relationship with food.
Common reasons people binge eat
Every person has their own individual reasons for why they find themselves stuck in the binge cycle over and over. These are some of the common reasons people resort to binge eating but it doesn’t mean it encompasses all of your triggers to binge.
Emotional Stress:
One of the leading causes of binge eating is emotional stress. When you feel overwhelmed, sad, anxious, or even happy, you may turn to food as a way to comfort yourself or to manage strong feelings. It works temporarily by numbing your emotions. Usually when it’s over you feel worse and the painful emotions are still present.
Dieting and Restriction
Ironically, dieting and restricting foods can often lead to binge eating. When you tell yourself you can't have something, you will naturally want it more. When you deprive yourself of certain foods, your body will start to crave them more. You create a binge-restrict cycle by restricting foods that you enjoy.
Unmet Physical Hunger
Ignoring or suppressing physical hunger cues can result in binge eating. When you wait too long to eat, you become overly hungry and might binge. Additionally, it can create feelings of anxiety or desperation, which may drive you to consume larger quantities of food than you would under more moderate hunger conditions. Consequently, it's crucial to honor your body's hunger signals to maintain a healthier and more harmonious relationship with food.
Negative body-image
Negative body image can be such a painful experience and can play a role in your experience with binge eating. When you're not feeling great about your body, it's natural to look for ways to find comfort, and sometimes that comfort comes in the form of food. It can feel like a brief escape from those unsettling thoughts about your appearance. Negative body image can also contribute to engaging in dieting and restriction, leading to a cycle of binge eating.
Coping with Trauma:
Binge eating can sometimes become a way of coping with past traumas. When you've experienced difficult or traumatic events, you might use food as a way to cope with the feelings that come up with thinking about the trauma. You might use food to soothe and comfort yourself. You might use binging as a way to numb painful emotions. Binging can provide relief from emotional pain and distress. It can briefly numb difficult feelings that feel like too much to handle.
Unconscious eating
In the intuitive eating approach, unconscious eating refers to eating without being fully aware of the experience. It involves consuming food mindlessly, often while distracted by other activities like watching TV, working on the computer, or scrolling through your phone. Unconscious eating can lead to overeating or binging because you're not tuned in to your body's hunger and fullness cues.
When Binge Eating Starts to Run Your Life
Binge eating rarely stays “just about food.” Over time, it can begin to shape how you plan your days, how you feel in your body, and how you relate to yourself. You might find yourself thinking about food all day, promising it will be different tomorrow, or feeling a mix of dread and urgency as evening approaches. Many women describe feeling stuck between trying to regain control and feeling completely defeated.
Therapy offers a space to slow this cycle down. Instead of focusing on rules, shame, or “fixing” behaviors, we work toward understanding what binge eating has been doing for you. Together, we look at patterns, triggers, emotions, and the pressure you’ve been carrying alone. Change becomes more sustainable when it’s built on insight, self-trust, and skills that actually fit your real life.
If you’re in Salt Lake City and ready for support, working with a therapist who specializes in binge eating disorder can help you move toward feeling more steady around food, less consumed by urges, and more at ease in your own mind.
Binge eating disorder treatment in Salt Lake City can help you understand your binge eating
Binge eating disorder treatment, especially with the intuitive eating approach, can offer practical ways to break the binge-eating cycle. Working with a binge eating disorder therapist involves delving into your personal history with food, and your body. Therapy for binge eating takes into account how past experiences and trauma may have affected your relationship with food. My aim is to help you develop healthier ways to deal with your emotions, practice self-compassion, and help you have a better relationship with food.
Start working with a binge eating disorder therapist in Salt Lake City, Utah
If you're ready to take a step towards a healthier relationship with food and overcome binge eating, reach out today. You don't have to face this journey alone. Let's work together to break free from the cycle of binge eating. Maple Canyon Therapy has a binge eating disorder therapist who specializes in binge eating disorder treatment. To begin counseling, follow the steps below:
Meet with an eating disorder therapist
Start healing from binge eating
Online Eating Disorder Therapy in Utah
Online therapy in Utah gives you access to a therapist without leaving your home. No more long drives or traffic jams to worry about. You can have sessions from your comfy space. Plus, online therapy offers flexible scheduling, so you can fit it into your busy life. It's private and secure, ensuring your personal information stays confidential. Most importantly, it's an effective way to work on your mental well-being. So, if you're considering therapy but worried about the logistics, give online therapy in Utah a shot – it's convenient, accessible, and can truly make a positive difference in your life.
Online counseling also means that wherever you are located in Utah, that means we can work together. I work with clients in Salt Lake City and all throughout Utah
FAQ About Binge Eating Disorder Therapy in Salt Lake City
How do I know if I need therapy for binge eating?
If you feel out of control around food, binge in secret, or feel intense guilt and shame after eating, therapy can help. You don’t need a formal diagnosis to seek support.
Do you offer binge eating disorder therapy in Salt Lake City?
Yes. I work with women in Salt Lake City through secure online therapy sessions available throughout Utah.
Is online therapy effective for binge eating disorder?
Research shows online therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy for many mental health concerns, including binge eating disorder.
What happens in binge eating disorder therapy?
We focus on understanding your triggers, patterns, emotions, and relationship with food not rigid rules or judgment.
Do I have to be dieting to start therapy?
No. Many women begin therapy while feeling conflicted about food, weight, and dieting. You don’t have to “fix” anything first.
About the Author
About the Author: Ashlee Hunt, LCSW, is a dedicated eating disorder therapist and the founder of Maple Canyon Therapy, an eating disorder clinic serving women in Salt Lake City and all throughout Utah. Ashlee holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Bachelor's degree in Family Life and Human Development from Southern Utah University, where she first developed her passion for understanding the complexities of human behavior and relationships. Building on her strong foundation, she pursued a Master's degree in Social Work from Utah State University, equipping her with the knowledge and skills to make a positive impact in the lives of women struggling with eating disorders. With her compassionate approach and extensive education, Ashlee is committed to helping her clients on their journey to recovery and emotional well-being.