Most people will assume that eating disorders should be the least of their issues with the myriad of health issues affecting people today. Well, these eating disorders are among the biggest contributors to most of the conditions seen nowadays. While patients have often hidden them out of embarrassment and at times because of the misinformation, eating disorders are now recognized by the World Health Organization.
Until only recently, binge eating disorders (BED) was not among the conditions that benefitted from any kind of treatment for eating disorder in Westport, CT. They are nonetheless now among the most common conditions in adolescents and young adults. The symptoms of BED closely mirror those of a similarly named subtype of anorexia and bulimia. Patients will ordinarily consume large food amounts within a short period and lack control over how much they can consume during this period. In most cases, people with BED are obese and overweight since, unlike other eating disorders, they will not purge after eating. They are thus at considerable risk of contracting type II diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and at times a stroke. The following are the management alternatives available for BED to avert these grave issues.
Psychotherapy
This is the leading alternative for the management of BED. Psychotherapy focuses on changing a patient’s thinking and behavior. There are practical techniques used for the development of a patient’s healthy attitudes towards weight and food. Some of the standard psychotherapy approaches used for BED treatment includes interpersonal psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and dialectal behavioral therapy (DBT). CBT aims to pick the triggers of binge eating episodes and introduce healthy ways to deal with them while DBT centers on regulating your relationships and reducing the need to binge eat. Interpersonal psychotherapy centers on building healthy relationships and communication skills.
Medication
The FDA-approved drug for the treatment of BED is lisdexamfetamine; the same drug used for the treatment of ADHD. It has been shown to reduce weekly binge-eating episodes, reduce weight, and decrease eating-related compulsions. Antidepressants and anticonvulsants have also shown some promise in the management of BED.
Nutritional Counseling
This management alternative centers on teaching patients healthy eating habits. The typical techniques focused on in this case are eating a balanced diet and spacing your meals adequately. Nutritional counseling will go a long way in restoring healthy eating habits and losing the weight most patients will have gained as a result of your condition.
Family and Group Therapy
Family support is one of the main pillars of BED management. Family therapy is, thus, one management options for BED. In this option, your family will be taught the symptoms of your disorder and how they can help you overcome it. Group therapy allows a patient to share their feelings and concerns and find support from people going through a similar issue. It also gives patients the motivation to continue with their treatment.
The first thing most patients suffering from BED, along with their families, worry about is weight loss. This has led most patients to reach for dangerous weight loss pills and exercises that will further compromise their already weakened bodies. The above management alternatives preceded by tests to assess your condition are the only safe treatment options for BED patients.
