Binge Killer: The Use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Address Shame in Binge Eating Disorder (Unabridged‪)‬

Research on binge eating disorder is limited, compared to studies on other eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Given that binge eating disorder recently became an independent diagnosis in the DSM-5, it has significant medical implications and commonly involves psychiatric comorbidity. It is worthwhile to explore contributing factors and evidence-based treatment for the disorder.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is an evidence-based treatment for binge eating disorder, and most experts agree that while it yields positive treatment results, there is room for improvement in treatment. Shame is an important contributing factor in the development and maintenance of binge eating disorder.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is focused on the premise that an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are intertwined and can ultimately be restructured to support more productive actions. Historically routed in the treatment of depression and anxiety, CBT is becoming more prevalent in eating disorder treatment settings, particularly and more recently with binge eating disorder.

CBT focuses on three phases of treatment: behavioral phase, cognitive phase, and maintenance and relapse phase.