You may have arrived here because you are seeking an eating disorder psychologist who can provide understanding and evidence-based support. Binge Eating Disorder (BED), also known as binge overeating disorder, involves recurring episodes of eating large amounts of food in a short period, often accompanied by a sense of loss of control. These episodes can lead to emotional distress, shame, guilt, or regret. If you are in Melbourne and want to speak to a warm, compassionate binge eating psychologist you are in the right place. Our eating disorder psychologists provide professional care that addresses the psychology of binge eating, helping you understand the underlying triggers and develop practical strategies to regain balance and wellbeing.
Binge Eating: Recognising the Right Time to Consult an Eating Disorder Psychologist
What are the signs and binge symptoms of a binge eating disorder?
- Uncontrolled overeating or consuming more food than intended
- Eating beyond fullness
- Rapidly consuming large amounts of food
- Eating to the point of physical discomfort or exhaustion
- Experiencing post-eating anxiety or guilt
- Dieting or restricting certain foods followed by a binge episode
Recognising these signs early can help prevent the pattern from becoming entrenched and improve your relationship with food.
Recovery begins when we bring our hidden struggles into the light, replacing shame and guilt with self-compassion and healing.
How binge eating or binge eating disorder can impact you?
Body Image Issues:
Many individuals with binge eating disorder or BED, also experience dissatisfaction with their body. Often, binge eating results from restrictive eating or skipping meals, due to feeling of dissatisfaction with weight, shape or appearance, which increases focus on “forbidden foods” and perpetuates the cycle. Engaging with an eating disorder psychologist is a crucial first step in breaking this cycle and fostering self-compassion and acceptance. You can read more about poor body image in a body to better understand the impact of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating.
Low Self-Esteem:
Low self-esteem is often a core experience for individuals with binge eating disorder. Feeling unattractive, inadequate, or socially disconnected can contribute to binge eating, and the subsequent guilt and shame from consuming large amounts of food in a short period of time can further reinforce negative self-beliefs. Over time, these patterns may increase the risk of developing depression, social anxiety, or further disordered eating, creating a cycle that can be difficult to break without tailored psychological support.
Feelings of Guilt and Shame:
Many individuals with binge eating disorder experience overwhelming guilt and shame after secretive binge episodes, which can intensify self-blame and self-disgust. Working with a psychologist provides a safe, non-judgmental space to explore these emotions, understand the factors contributing to binge eating, and learn strategies for binge eating and how to stop. This often involves cognitive-behavioural techniques, identifying triggers, developing healthier coping mechanisms, and gradually improving self-esteem to help break the cycle of disordered eating.
Weight Fluctuations:
People living with binge eating disorder often experience a cycle of overeating and restrictive eating, which can lead to weight gain and a feeling of losing control over their bodies. These fluctuations are also common for those trying to lose weight or manage their weight, and they can intensify feelings of frustration, shame, and low self-esteem. Working with a psychologist can provide support to break these cycles, develop healthier eating habits, manage triggers, and regain a sense of control over the relationship with food.
Impacts on Mood:
People with binge eating disorder often experience significant mood swings, ranging from temporary feelings of euphoria or relief to intense sadness or depression. These shifts in mood can increase the likelihood of binge episodes and may reinforce the cycle of disordered eating. Binge eating is also commonly associated with other mental health difficulties, including anxiety, depression, and ADHD, which can further affect emotional regulation and overall well-being.
Social Withdrawal:
Binge eating disorder is frequently associated with social withdrawal, as people may avoid social situations or interactions due to intense shame, embarrassment, or low self-esteem. Research indicates that social isolation can reinforce disordered eating patterns, increase vulnerability to depression and anxiety, and make it harder to break the cycle of binge eating. Avoiding social contact can also impair relationship quality and contribute to profound loneliness, further impacting emotional well-being. Working with a psychologist can provide evidence-based support to rebuild social confidence, strengthen connections with others, and develop healthier coping strategies to manage binge eating and how to stop.
Speak with an Eating Disorder Psychologist
Is there a relationship between binge eating and poor body image?
That is generally the case. Body image concerns and disordered eating or dieting often go hand in hand. Often, it is the early dissatisfaction with a young person’s appearance that leads them to believe that losing weight would improve body satisfaction, self-esteem, and overall life satisfaction.
Restricting certain food groups or meals as part of a diet, often used as means to control weight, will lead to an unhealthy obsessive focus on body weight and preoccupation with restricted foods. This ultimately results in episodes of compulsive overeating or binge eating.
Binge eating, however, is not exclusively intertwined with body dissatisfaction. Individuals with ADHD may encounter time-blindness, often leading to irregular eating patterns and binge eating episodes. Individuals with ADHD may also find certain foods stimulate the reward pathway of the brain, often known as a dopamine spike, providing a sense of immediate gratification that reinforces the cycle of binge eating. Engaging with an eating disorder psychologist who has a special interest in binge eating will be able to assist in providing evidence-based treatment to restore balance.
What is the treatment approach for binge eating disorder?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best treatment for binge eating or binge eating disorder depends on the individual’s specific symptoms and circumstances. Evidence-based treatments for BED include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E), as well as Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness, as well as speaking to a dietician, and eating disorder treatment groups. Medication may sometimes be required as part of the treatment approach and directed by your GP, this is often the case when BED is severe or extremely severe or when the eating disorder has co-occurring mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, panic disorder, and ADHD.
How to choose a Melbourne eating disorder specialist?
It is important to look for an eating disorder therapist that has undergone specialist training. This might be through the Australia and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders (ANZED) as part of the Eating Disorder Credential Pathway. By engaging with a eating disorder psychologist that has ongoing training in this area, you will gain confidence in your treatment approach.
What is the diagnostic criteria for Binge Eating Disorder?
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), binge eating disorder (BED) is characterised by recurrent episodes of binge eating that involve both behavioural and emotional features.
Recurrent episodes of binge eating:
Binge eating involves consuming, within a discrete period of time (for example, within two hours), an amount of food that is significantly larger than what most people would eat in a similar period under similar circumstances. During these episodes, there is a sense of loss of control, such as feeling unable to stop eating or regulate what or how much is eaten.
Associated features of binge eating:
- Binge eating episodes are typically associated with three (or more) of the following:
- Eating much more rapidly than normal
- Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
- Eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry
- Eating alone due to embarrassment about the amount being eaten
- Feeling disgusted, depressed, or very guilty afterwardd
Emotional distress and frequency:
Binge eating causes marked distress and occurs, on average, at least once a week for three months.
Absence of compensatory behaviours:
The binge eating is not accompanied by compensatory behaviours such as vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise, and it does not occur exclusively during bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa.
Level of Severity:
- Mild: 1-3 binge-eating episodes per week
- Moderate: 4-7 binge-eating episodes per weekl
- Severe: 8-13 binge-eating episodes per week
- Extreme: 14 or more binge-eating episodes per week
Understanding Binge Eating Disorder:
Binge eating disorder is less common but often more severe than overeating. It is associated with significant guilt, shame, and emotional distress, and can co-occur with depression, anxiety, or ADHD. Recognising these experiences is the first step toward recovery. If these symptoms feel familiar, reaching out to an eating disorder psychologist can help you understand binge eating and how to stop, using evidence-based therapies designed to support long-term recovery and self-compassion..
FAQ
What are the main common binge symptoms?
Common binge symptoms include rapid overeating, eating until uncomfortably full, secretive eating, feelings of guilt or shame, and body image issues.
How can a binge eating psychologist help me?
A binge eating psychologist can provide evidence-based strategies such as CBT-E, mindfulness, emotional regulation, and structured support to address bingeing, reduce guilt, and manage binge eating disorder ADHD if relevant.
What is the psychology of binge eating?
Some people notice small improvements after a few sessions, especially with structured support. However, more sustained change usually occurs over several months of consistent therapy and practice.
Can binge eating occur in ADHD?
Yes. Binge eating disorder ADHD is common due to impulsivity, time-blindness, and altered reward processing, which can contribute to irregular eating and binge episodes.
How can I stop binge eating?
Evidence-based approaches include working with a Melbourne binge eating psychologist, using CBT-E, mindful eating strategies, dietitian guidance, and support groups to break the binge cycle.
How can Positive Wellbeing Psychology help?
At Positive Wellbeing Psychology, our Melbourne psychology practice comprises of highly skilled psychologists with specialist training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E). Our psychologists have undertaken training with ANZED and hold a special interest in the treatment of eating disorders including binge eating, as well as body dissatisfaction.
We understand it can be a long journey and stressful for the individual and their family.
Make an Appointment
At Positive Wellbeing Psychology, we offer flexible appointments with an eating disorder psychologist during the day, evening, or weekends, both in-person at our Melbourne psychology practice or online via telehealth.
Our team of psychologists hold full registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and adhere to ethical guidelines as mandated by the Psychologists Registration Board and the Australian Psychological Society. Our eating disorder psychologist at our practice is grounded in evidence-based treatment evidence-based treatment for eating disorders including binge eating disorder and other food disorder challenges. Reach out to speak with one of our experienced online Psychologists in Australia using a secure telehealth platform, or in person at our Armadale psychology practice.
