Psychological treatment for binge eating disorder
Psychological therapies are first line for the treatment of binge eating disorder. Specific training and protocols are required for psychological therapies for eating disorders; only a healthcare professional with appropriate expertise in the management of eating disorders (usually a psychologist, social worker, psychiatrist or occupational therapist) can deliver psychological treatment to a person with binge eating disorder.
Psychological therapies reduce binge-eating episodes and associated psychological distress. Therapies with proven efficacy for binge eating disorder are included in Psychological therapies for patients with binge eating disorder.
|
Therapy [NB1] |
Targets |
Tools |
|---|---|---|
|
transdiagnostic enhanced cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT-E) |
dysfunctional beliefs disordered eating |
behaviour monitoring behaviour experiments cognitive restructuring chain analyses |
|
guided self-help CBT |
dysfunctional beliefs disordered eating |
behaviour monitoring behaviour experiments cognitive restructuring chain analyses |
|
dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) |
the dialectic of 2 opposing views of eating disorder behaviours distress intolerance and use of binge eating and weight control behaviours to reduce distress |
training in emotion regulation skills (mindfulness) ‘meaning making’ as acceptance and change validating the worth of the individual |
|
interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) |
targets interpersonal problem areas (eg grief, role transitions, role disputes, interpersonal deficits) |
exploration of interpersonal function encouraging affect clarification communication analysis therapeutic relationships |
Note:
NB1: All of these therapies are manualised and require specific training.
| ||
For patients with a high body mass index (BMI), consider implementing behavioural weight-loss therapy concurrently with psychological therapies for binge eating disorder. Behavioural weight-loss therapy may be more effective than CBT in attaining weight loss in the short term, but long-term efficacy is lacking. For some patients with a high BMI, it is more beneficial to treat the binge eating disorder, particularly before trying to achieve weight loss. For information on the management of obesity, see here.