WHAT WE TREAT
No matter who you are, where you are from or how severe your symptoms are, we can help. Using a tailored-to-you approach, our binge eating disorder treatment programmes will address the root causes of your binge eating, enabling you to regain control over your relationship with food.
Binge eating disorder (BED) is a complex eating disorder that often goes undiagnosed for years. While the symptoms are unique to everyone, it is typically diagnosed when a person continuously consumes an abnormally high volume of food despite the negative consequences on their health, life, relationships and well-being. Feeling as though one is unable to stop this pattern, despite how desperately they may want to, is a typical marker of BED.
Binge eating disorder is classed as a behavioural addiction whereby a person becomes dependent on the overconsumption of food as a way of coping with difficult emotions, trauma, or real-life events. In response to these painful experiences, food functions as a coping mechanism, allowing the person to feel momentarily detached from themselves, their emotions, and their stress.
Numerous other factors contribute to the onset of binge eating disorder. In particular, mental health conditions such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or anxiety can all be the triggers as can stress, genetic dispositions, and learned behaviour from childhood if a parent or sibling suffered from food addictions. Binge eating disorder is a complex addiction that is often co-occurring alongside other substance abuse issues or mental health conditions such as depression.
Certain foods can also be extremely addictive, thereby perpetuating a cycle and introducing a substance-dependency into the mix. For instance, foods high in fat and sugar can be extremely addictive because they trigger the release of feel-good chemicals such as dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical messenger in our brain that encourages us to repeat an action, in this case eating food, by producing feelings of pleasure or euphoria. When eating food, the pleasure caused by the release of dopamine will override the body’s signals of fullness or physical satisfaction so the person will continue eating even though they are no longer hungry.
Through our combination of medical, psychological and personal care, we are proud to be the only clinic in the world that addresses co-occurring conditions and every possible root-cause of binge eating.
Binge eating disorder is one of the most common eating disorders, yet stigma and lack of education prevent many individuals from seeking treatment. The symptoms of binge eating disorder include:
- Eating in response to emotional distress, such as sadness, anxiety, or boredom.
- Feeling compelled to eat large quantities of food, often beyond the point of physical comfort.
- Eating more rapidly than normal during binge episodes.
- Consuming food in secret to avoid shame or judgement.
- Experiencing overwhelming guilt, shame, or disgust after bingeing.
- Feeling a loss of control over eating during binge episodes.
- Eating even when not physically hungry or when already full.
- Frequently thinking about food or planning the next binge.
- Stockpiling or hoarding food in anticipation of bingeing.
- Experiencing a sense of detachment or “numbness” while bingeing.
Additional symptoms include:
What are the psychological symptoms of binge eating?
- Experiencing intense cravings that feel impossible to resist.
- Feeling a sense of emotional relief or distraction during binge episodes.
- Increasing feelings of self-loathing or negative body image after bingeing.
- Obsessing over binge episodes and their impact on weight or health.
- Using food as a coping mechanism for stress or emotional pain.
What are the physical symptoms of binge eating?
- Experiencing stomach pain or physical discomfort after consuming excessive food.
- Rapid weight changes due to periods of bingeing.
- Feeling lethargic or fatigued after binge episodes.
- Developing health issues, such as high blood pressure or digestive problems, related to overeating.
What are the emotional symptoms of binge eating?
- Feeling emotionally overwhelmed during a binge and unable to stop.
- Experiencing mood swings or irritability linked to binge episodes.
- Feeling trapped in a cycle of bingeing as a response to emotional distress.
- Developing an emotional dependency on food for comfort or escapism.
bespoke treatment
How we treat binge eating disorder
At Paracelsus Recovery, we understand that binge eating disorder is not simply about food; it’s a complex, emotional struggle that affects your physical and psychological well-being. That’s why we don’t follow a pre-defined treatment path. Each patient receives a bespoke treatment plan, designed to meet their specific needs and challenges. Your four-week stay will be thoughtfully structured to include a variety of therapeutic elements tailored to support your recovery.
Our approach focuses on both the emotional triggers that drive binge eating and the physical aspects of health, helping you build healthier relationships with food and yourself. Our treatments are designed to support every aspect of your recovery, ensuring that you gain the tools to manage emotional triggers and develop sustainable coping strategies for long-term healing. See below for more details.
Our approach considers the whole person: mind, body and soul
At Paracelsus Recovery, we do not adopt a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Instead, we adapt each programme to each client’s unique set of needs. While our approach prioritises cutting-edge modalities and holistic care, those unique needs ultimately guide our work together.
Through a unique combination of biochemical restoration, intensive psychotherapy, and medical treatments, we are able to treat the root causes of your binge eating disorder on a physical, emotional, and neurobiological level. For instance, binge eating disorder may stem from physical imbalances such as hormone dysregulation, nutrient deficiencies, or the impacts of chronic stress on the body, as well as emotional factors like unresolved trauma, anxiety, or difficulties in emotional regulation. To design your specific treatment plan, we carry out extensive assessments that uncover these underlying causes, allowing us to target them effectively and comprehensively.
15+ team members, all dedicated to your health and well-being
A team of over 15 professionals will be dedicated to you and by your side throughout your stay with us. This includes a personal psychiatrist, medical doctor, client relations team, and many others. At the heart of this team is a live-in therapist who is there to provide emotional support and help you address the root causes of your binge eating disorder 24/7.
Comprehensive programmes as unique as you are
We would recommend our four-week residential treatment programme for BED, but we are flexible and can provide shorter programmes if deemed necessary. In any case, your programme will be designed with our core principles of empathy and pragmatism to create a custom experience that meets you exactly where you are and provides you with the treatment you need.
We can provide treatment for binge eating disorder and any co-occurring mental health conditions in Zurich.
FURTHER READING
