Clinical Interventions for Binge Eating Disorder

This document discusses the clinical interventions used to diagnose and treat binge eating disorder. It covers the signs and symptoms, reasons for binge eating, and the role of psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy in treatment. The importance of improving self-esteem and encouraging positive body image is also highlighted. The document provides a comprehensive overview of the topic and offers valuable insights for individuals studying clinical psychology or related fields.

Running head: INTRO TO CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY 1
Intro to clinical psychology
Name
Institution

Contents
CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS USED TO TREAT PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS.............3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
BINGE EATING DISORDER........................................................................................................4
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BINGE EATING DISORDER.................................................4
REASONS FOR BINGE EATING..............................................................................................5
INTERVENTIONS USED TO DIAGNOSE BINGE EATING DISORDER................................6
TREATMENT PLAN FOR BINGE EATING DISORDER...........................................................7
PSYCHOTHERAPY...................................................................................................................7
COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY...............................................................................7
JUSTIFICATION FOR USING COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY TO TREAT
BULIMIA........................................................................................................................................8
ROLE OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOTHERAPISTS IN REDUCING THE PREVALENCE OF
BINGE EATING DISORDER........................................................................................................9
IMPROVING SELF ESTEEM AND ENCOURAGING POSITIVE BODY IMAGE...............9
DEALING WITH STRESS AND DEPRESSION....................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13
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CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS USED TO TREAT PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS.
INTRODUCTION
Psychological disorders are behavioral patterns that are expressed by some people which may
affect their lives in various areas. There are many kinds of psychological disorders, including
eating disorders.
Eating disorders are related to a person’s eating habits and usually impact their health negatively.
They can also affect one’s emotions as well as other areas in their lives. The most common
eating disorders are binge eating, bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa.
Binge eating is a condition characterized by episodes of excessive eating within a short time. The
individual often feels out of control and ends up eating often to a point of discomfort as well as
eating even when they are not hungry(Wu et al, 2014)
Bulimia nervosa in some ways is similar to binge eating. It only differs from it in that after a
binge episode the individual tends to purge through taking laxatives or inducing vomit. This is
usually done as a result of feeling guilty for consuming more food than they wanted to, or as a
way to control weight( Hay et al, 2010)
Anorexia nervosa is characterized by consuming less food than is typically required by the body.
(Attia, 2010) A person suffering from anorexia nervosa can be seen as being much disciplined
and they are very careful about what they eat, often avoiding food with high sugar or fat. They
consume very few calories which in time causes self-starvation(Jones et al, 2017)
There have been various methods that have been used to treat eating disorders. Some have been
more useful and successful compared to others. The method that has been used which provided
the highest rate of success is psychotherapy, sometimes combined with other methods such as
medication, weight loss programs, change in lifestyle, home remedies and support from friends
and family( Attia, 2010)
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BINGE EATING DISORDER
It is characterized by episodes of excessive eating which happens within a short time.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BINGE EATING DISORDER
 The disappearance of food within a short time. There could be indicators of large
amounts of food consumed such as empty wrappers and containers.
 Eating faster than normal until uncomfortably full.
 The individual is uncomfortable eating around other people and avoids eating in public
due to embarrassment of the amount of food eaten.
 Goes through a lot of unsuccessful diets including unhealthy ones such as cutting out
entire food groups and skipping meals.
 Steals and hides food in unconventional places so as to eat it in private, sometimes not
even considering hygiene.
 Keeps a schedule of times to binge eat.
 Expresses a more introverted behavior, becoming withdrawn from family and friends and
stops participating in usual activities.
 Is concerned about body weight and body image, often examining oneself for flaws in the
mirror. This eventually leads to low self-esteem.
 Has secret binge eating sessions that are timed and feel out of control.
 Binge eating occurs at least once a week over a period of three months.
 Have irregular eating patterns such as skipping meals, not having scheduled meal times,
eating little during main meals and participating in repetitive diet plans that often fail.
 Fluctuations in gaining and losing weight due to failed or unsustainable diets.
 Difficulty concentrating and being unable to remember what was eaten after a binge
episode.
 The individual may be aware of their binge eating problem and show marked distress
over the same.
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REASONS FOR BINGE EATING
 Genetics- The genes that cause binge eating can ran through families. They affect
brain circuits. They have abnormal levels of certain chemicals that regulate appetite,
sleep and stress.
 Extreme dieting- When people go on extreme diets such as skipping meals or
cutting out food groups then fail to reach their goal, they may feel terrible about
themselves and end up eating more leading to binge eating.
 Depression- People who suffer from depression are more likely to binge eat.
They use this as a coping mechanism for their depression. However it is not clear whether
depression leads to binge eating or binge eating leads to depression. Binge eating is used
as a way of comfort when the individual feels down.
 External influences- Unlike genetics, binge eating can also arise from watching
those around you, such as your parents eat a lot of food at once. The habit can easily be
acquired especially by small children. Due to society influence, dieting, body
dissatisfaction and wanting to be thin have been popularized and all play a role in
contributing to binge eating. Culture emphasizes on appearance at the expense of other
meaningful attributes. It creates a fear of fat and food and classifies different foods as
good or bad.
 Low self- esteem- It occurs when a person has a negative body image about
themselves. They binge eat to feel better then later feel guilty or shame. This leads to a
cyclic behavior of self-hate and binge eating. Other factors include a feeling of
hopelessness and inadequacy, trouble coping with or expressing emotions, impulsivity
and perfectionism.
 Stress- This causes emotional eating which can lead to a temporary form of binge
eating.
 Impact of traumatic events- Research shows that people that suffer from binge
eating disorder were more likely to have suffered from traumatic events such as physical
or sexual abuse as a child, body criticism, stress or critical comments about their weight.
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INTERVENTIONS USED TO DIAGNOSE BINGE EATING DISORDER
Diagnosing binge eating disorder can be challenging and it can go undetected for a long time.
Such disorders cannot be detected by observing the physical appearance of a person. In most
cases, it is discovered when a person seeks help for weight loss of health problems related to
obesity (Dibella & Bentley, 2019).
Binge eating disorder is diagnosed by analyzing the eating habits of the patient. Tests can
also be done including physical exams that include measuring one’s BMI. Vital signs such as
heart rate, blood pressure and temperature are examined. The skin, lungs, abdomen, heart and
nails are examined to rule out other medical explanations and to check for related complications.
Lab tests may include exams to check protein and electrolyte levels as well as the functioning
of internal body organs such as the liver and the kidney. Tests may be carried out to determine
energy output and the information gathered will be used when planning nutrition requirements.
The person is then referred to a psychiatrist or a psychotherapist who is trained to deal with
mental illness. They use interviews and assessment tools to evaluate a person with an eating
disorder (Fulvio, 2014).
Treatment is done so as to improve one’s eating habits and reduce binges, as well as deal with
mental issues that are associated with the disorder such as stress and depression.
TREATMENT PLAN FOR BINGE EATING DISORDER
PSYCHOTHERAPY
Psychotherapy is the most effective treatment plan used in treating binge eating. It helps the
patient exchange unhealthy binge habits for healthy habits.( Muhlheim, 2014) It involves talk
therapy through individual or group sessions. They may include:
Interpersonal psychotherapy- It focuses on the patient’s relationship with other people and
helps improve their interpersonal skills. This reduces binge eating episodes that have been
caused by unhealthy relationships and poor communication skills.
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Dialectical behavior therapy- It helps the patient gain skills to deal with stress and
overwhelming emotions. It also gives the patient skills to improve their relationship with others
thus reducing their desire to binge.
COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY
This helps in dealing with issues that may trigger unhealthy eating habits such as low self-
esteem and negative body image. It helps regulate eating patterns by aiding the patient to gain
control over their behavior.(Grohol, 2017) cognitive behavioral therapy changes dysfunctional
emotions and thoughts since it is believed that they influence behavior. Unlike other forms of
therapy, it usually focuses on dealing with the current problem instead of focusing on the past.
It works through talking to the psychotherapist, where the problem is broken down into
different parts. Each part is then analyzed and the effect of each identified. The therapist then
helps the individual work on what can be changed and encourages the patient to practice the
changes daily. This treatment ensures that the problem stops harming the individual's daily life
even after the treatment is over( Worrel, 2015)
Cognitive behavioral treatment is advantageous in that it can be used for disorders where
medication will not work( Whitfield, 2016) It is also completed within a short time and can be
done in different ways, including self- help books, groups, face- to- face or online. It is a
sustainable form of therapy since its benefits are seen even after the treatment is finished.
However, the treatment requires commitment of both time and money. It is a process that
involves dealing with one's emotions and in the beginning can be difficult and cause anxiety
( Whitfield, 2018).
JUSTIFICATION FOR USING COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY TO TREAT
BULIMIA.
The success of cognitive behavioral therapy is attributed to the fact that it mainly focuses on
normalization of one’s eating behavior, thus working better than other forms of
treatment( Palavras et al, 2017). Aside from being very efficient it is also cost-effective. The
same progress that is seen in patients after two years of psychoanalytic therapy is seen after five
months in patients undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy ( Schreiba- Gregory et al, 2013)
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The treatment is very detailed and is personalized to meet each individual's needs. It involves
components such as psycho-education, dieting and meal planning, keeping track of meals taken
by keeping records and coming up with strategies to prevent binges. (Chamber, 2009)
Another form of therapy that is given to help with bulimia is interpersonal psychotherapy. Some
psychotherapists believe that it is as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy, although studies
have shown that patients who use this form of treatment tend to progress slower as compared to
those undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy ( Marzilli, 2018)
This treatment is effective and has recorded a positive success rate. However, to increase the
success of the treatment, it is used in combination with other methods such as medication,
change in lifestyle and support from friends and family( Goracci et al, 2015)
ROLE OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOTHERAPISTS IN REDUCING THE
PREVALENCE OF BINGE EATING DISORDER
IMPROVING SELF ESTEEM AND ENCOURAGING POSITIVE BODY IMAGE
Binge eating and other eating disorders have been on the rise in the recent past. This is due to
an increase in global westernization and advances in technology. There is an increased
perception of what the perfect body image is.
Many sufferers use unhealthy behaviors such as binge eating as a way to cope with negative
or overwhelming emotions like stress and depression. This behavior can lead to anxiety and
other serious complications.
Psychotherapists should encourage positive body image and work with the community,
especially the youth to love themselves by encouraging them not to compare themselves with
others. They should encourage them to accentuate their flaws that make them unique. Instead of
focusing on things they cannot change they should focus on those that they can through activities
like exercise and they should accept those that they cannot change (Haron, 2019).
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The community can also be inspired to make small changes such as the clothes they wear. The
better they feel about themselves, the less likely they are to indulge in unhealthy habits. They
should also be encouraged to create an environment that is more sensual so that they can relax
and unwind thus preventing them from being overwhelmed by stressful situations.
Psychotherapists can also encourage them to practice self-care by loving and taking care of
themselves as they currently are. Having such a positive mindset will motivate them to move in
the direction of self-improvement. They should take time off by themselves to pamper
themselves and unwind (Westerburg, 2013).
They can also identify positive role models who will energize others and steer them away
from unhealthy habits. They can encourage them to focus on a positive cause on something they
are passionate about such as animals or the environment. This will help raise their spirits and in
the long run make them feel better about themselves (Schreiber-Gregory et.al, 2013).
Psychotherapists can encourage others to be more compassionate and self- accepting, and to
treat themselves as they treat others. They should be encouraged to treat eating as something
special and do it in a quiet environment that is free from stress. They should listen carefully to
their bodies and respect themselves and they will be able to overcome any urges. They should
appreciate what they have and be grateful as well as acknowledge the positive things that happen
to them daily (Safer & Telch, 2017).
They can encourage practices like meditation and yoga that work on improving a person’s
inner self. These practices strengthen them and they become wise and make better decisions.
Reading will also help in shaping who they are, creating their realities and valuing who they are.
Finally, they should be encouraged to shift their thinking on how they see themselves since self-
hating their bodies only causes them to be miserable( Dibella, 2018)
DEALING WITH STRESS AND DEPRESSION
Psychotherapists in the community can help others deal with stress by encouraging them to
take care of themselves by eating healthy and exercising regularly. They should also be
encouraged to get plenty of sleep and take breaks whenever they feel stressed out or burned out
(Setnic, 2011).
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They should always be available to talk with them and should create an environment that will
encourage openness. They should teach them to avoid drugs and alcohol which can induce stress
and other health problems. They should also create awareness on the relationship between stress,
depression and eating disorder thus encouraging the community to recognize when they need
help and seek it before it is too late (Linardon, 2016).
Parents should also be involved and be taught how to avoid stressful situations for their
children. This can be done through maintaining a normal routine, especially during mealtime.
Parents should act as role models for their children and avoid taking up unhealthy habits
especially in front of their children. They should create opportunities to talk to their children
without forcing them, and be with them when they are dealing with fears and worries (Palavras
& Hay, 2017).
They should be alert for any changes in behavior such as withdrawal or eating habits and
provide support and reassurance of their safety and well- being. Discussion groups among the
parents can also be created so that they can come up with ways their children can cope especially
with stressful situations (Lock & Grange, 2015).
CONCLUSION
Individuals suffering from binge eating disorder generally experience a poor quality of life,
hence it is necessary to identify and deal with the problem early. Binge eaters tend to eat food
with low nutritive value since they gain the most chemical emotional rewards from such foods.
As a result, they are at risk of developing secondary complications related to obesity. Aside from
this, they may also suffer from other mental problems such as personality disorder, bipolar
disorder, substance abuse, kleptomania and anxiety disorder among others. Binge eating disorder
is the most common disorder among adults (Marzilli & Cimino, 2018).
It is important to find support when dealing with this problem from friends and family. Join a
support group. These provide encouragement and advice on coping. Support groups are essential
since the members understand what you are going through as they have been there themselves.
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