A New Way; Emerging Treatment Methods for Binge Eating Disorder

Ever since it was added to the official list of eating disorders in the DSM-V (the diagnostic manual for mental health disorders), the need for binge eating disorder (BED) treatment has become obvious.  BED is the most common form of eating disorder, but treatment is still in its relative infancy as compared to treatment for other eating disorders like anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. A binge eating recovery center that offers personalized programs and non-traditional methodology can often make greater strides in treatment than a one-size-fits-all treatment program, and for that reason eating disorder treatment centers are employing new, evidence-based, and holistic treatment methods to help their clients.
 

Although Western medicine has its place in eating disorder treatment, as it does in all forms of modern medicine, more holistic and alternative treatment methods have increasingly become centerpieces of eating disorder treatment. As complementary components to a more traditional talk-therapy methodology, they’re often used at full continuum of care facilities. Check out a few new approaches to BED treatment that are helping people make strides in their recovery.
 

Animal Assisted Therapy
 

The presence of our furry, domesticated friends brings calmness, trust, and comfort to people all around the world. Their presence can also be a boon to people engaged in mental health treatment, including treatment for eating disorders like BED. Because of this, some eating disorder treatment centers are beginning to incorporate treatment methods employing cats, dogs, and especially horses.
 

Working with horses allows these magnificent animals to become close to clients. Their sense of calmness and strength may transfer to the client, and the sense of responsibility gained from taking care of the animal can give them a better sense of their capability. Many people who engage in animal-assisted therapy for the first time have come to swear by it.
 

Massage Therapy
 

Massage therapy and chiropractic massage is a form of relaxation therapy used at many modern binge eating disorder recovery centers that can release serotonin and dopamine in the brain–these brain chemicals prompt positive feelings like contentment and relieve the mood. In recent years, many studies have been conducted on how massage affects a person’s psychological outlook; one result, in particular, shows great promise for eating disorder recovery.
 

The NCBI published the results of a study that was performed on 19 women with anorexia nervosa. The group of 19 was split in two; one group received standard therapy and the other received both the standard and additional massage therapy sessions. The ones who had had both talk therapy and massage therapy reported a lower rate of body dissatisfaction than the control group. This indicates that as part of an integrated treatment program, massage therapy can help lead to even more positive outcomes than therapy alone.
 

Yoga
 

One of the most tried-and-true alternative health and wellness treatment components used for eating disorder treatment is yoga. Yoga’s well-established in psychological, medical, and addiction-treatment circles as a physical and mental tool.
 

In a study titled “Body Awareness, Eating Attitudes, and Spiritual Beliefs of Women Practicing Yoga,” the authors came to the conclusion that:
 

“Qualitative data reported improvements in body satisfaction and disordered eating due in part to yoga and its associated spirituality.”
 

Yoga, in addition to being an ideal form of self-aware meditation, is also perfect for mindful movement. Many people with eating disorders also engage in excessive exercise – sometimes beyond the point of suffering an injury. Yoga provides a way to stay active without the high-impact exercise that becomes problematic for too many people with eating disorders.
 

New Approaches for Better Outcomes

A quality binge eating disorder recovery center in the modern age will employ multiple forms of therapy and therapeutic activities. This can include yoga and mindful meditation, traditional talk therapy, dedicated therapeutic techniques such as CBT and DBT, and many more. Binge eating treatment shouldn’t necessarily be old-fashioned – a new way has emerged, which incorporates both traditional and alternative approaches.

This is a guest blog entry.