About binge eating

What it is, why it happens and what helps. Contents:

• What binge eating is
• How common it is
• The binge cycle
• Common triggers
• Why dieting can backfire
• Regular eating
• Stress and emotions
• Self-compassion
• Mindful eating
• Riding out urges
• Intuitive eating
• Kindness to your body
• Guided self-help
• CBT
• Mindfulness-based programmes
• Support from others
• What recovery looks like
• How self-help methods fit in
• FAQs

What binge eating is

The US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health, describes binge eating as eating a large amount of food in a short time while feeling you cannot control what or how much you are eating. When this happens regularly, at least once a week for 3 months, it may be binge eating disorder. Many people feel upset or ashamed afterwards and try to hide it, even from close friends. [3] The US National Institute of Mental Health notes that eating disorders can be treated successfully. [4] In the UK, the NHS adds that binges may be planned or spontaneous, and that most people recover with the right support and treatment. [5] Dr Tracey Marks explains the triggers and treatments in Videos. Our guides to comfort eating and sugar cravings explore related topics, and you can find more in our Health hub.

How common it is

Binge eating disorder is one of the most common eating difficulties in the world. A study led by Ronald Kessler, using World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys from 14 countries, found that about 1.9% of adults had experienced binge eating disorder in their lifetime, more than bulimia. [6] The NIDDK describes it as the most common eating disorder in the United States, affecting about 1.25% of adult women and 0.42% of adult men, and people of all racial and ethnic groups. The average age it first appears is 25. [3] It affects people of every age, gender, background and body size. If you recognise yourself here, you are far from alone.

The binge cycle

Many people describe binge eating as a cycle. Something difficult happens, such as stress, loneliness or a long gap without food. The urge to eat builds, a binge follows and brings brief relief, then guilt and shame arrive. To make up for it, people often promise to eat very little the next day, which leaves them hungry and vulnerable to the next binge. Seeing the cycle clearly is a powerful first step, because every stage is a place where you can gently do something different.

Common triggers

Triggers vary from person to person, but common ones include strict dieting or skipping meals, stress, boredom, loneliness, sadness, tiredness, and feeling bad about your body. Some people notice particular times of day, places or foods. Keeping a simple, non-judgmental diary of when urges arise, what was happening and how you felt can help you spot patterns. Treat it as curious detective work, not a test you can fail.

Why dieting can backfire

It is natural to want to cut back after a binge, but restriction often feeds the cycle. When the body goes too long without enough food, hunger and cravings grow stronger. The NIDDK notes that, for some people, dieting in unhealthy ways, such as skipping meals, not eating enough or avoiding certain kinds of food, may contribute to binge eating. [7] In the UK, the NHS also advises that people having treatment for binge eating should not try to diet, because this can make it harder to stop. [8] For many people, the path to feeling calmer around food begins with eating more regularly, not less.

Regular eating

Regular eating is a cornerstone of recovery. It means eating three meals and two or three planned snacks at roughly predictable times, so you are rarely very hungry. Regular eating is the first step in Christopher Fairburn’s widely used CBT-based self-help programme, Overcoming Binge Eating, and planning meals and snacks is part of CBT for binge eating as described by the UK’s NHS. [8] Many people are surprised to find that eating regularly, including foods they enjoy, makes binges less likely. Our healthy eating guide has ideas for balanced, satisfying meals.

Stress and emotions

Food is one of the quickest ways to soothe difficult feelings, so it makes sense that stress and emotions so often lead to binges. Stress researcher Elissa Epel explains the science of stress eating with Andrew Huberman in Videos. Finding other comforts helps the urge to binge soften over time. Ideas include a warm bath, a walk, calling a friend, journalling, music, breathing exercises or a few minutes of meditation. Our guides to stress, anxiety and emotional repression have many more ideas.

Self-compassion

Shame after a binge is very common, and it often makes the next binge more likely. Self-compassion offers another way. In a study by Claire Adams and Mark Leary, people who tend to restrict their eating were encouraged to treat themselves kindly after eating a doughnut. They went on to eat less in a later taste test than those who were not, suggesting that kindness helps break the cycle of guilt and overeating. [1] Kristin Neff’s gentle self-compassion break is in Videos. Try speaking to yourself as you would to a good friend.

Mindful eating

Mindful eating means bringing gentle attention to food: slowing down, noticing colours, smells, tastes and textures, and checking in with hunger and fullness. Dr Jan Chozen Bays, a paediatrician and Zen teacher, shares this approach in her book and in Videos. Many people find that eating more mindfully helps them enjoy food more and feel satisfied sooner. Our mindfulness guide explains the practice.

Riding out urges

Urge surfing is a mindfulness skill for cravings. Instead of fighting the urge or giving in straight away, you notice it like a wave in the ocean: it rises, reaches a peak and then gradually falls. You breathe, observe the sensations in your body and let the wave pass. Psychiatrist Judson Brewer explains the curiosity at the heart of this approach in his TED talk, and a guided urge surfing meditation from the Eating Recovery Center is in Videos. Every urge you ride out builds confidence.

Intuitive eating

Intuitive eating, created by dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, is a gentle approach that encourages people to step away from dieting and reconnect with their body’s hunger and fullness signals. Its principles include honouring your hunger, making peace with food and respecting your body. Evelyn Tribole shares 10 days of intuitive eating in Videos, and the official intuitive eating website is in Free resources.

Kindness to your body

Feeling unhappy with your body can be both a trigger for binges and a result of them. Building a kinder relationship with your body helps. Ideas include wearing comfortable clothes, moving in ways you enjoy, unfollowing social media accounts that leave you feeling worse, and appreciating what your body does for you each day. Our guides to self-esteem and self-love can help.

Guided self-help

Guided self-help means working through a self-help book or online programme, usually based on CBT, with regular support from a health professional. The meta-analysis led by Anja Hilbert included self-help forms of CBT among the psychological treatments it reviewed. [9] In the UK, the NHS says guided self-help is usually offered as a first step, and that support groups may also help. [8] Eating disorder charities in many countries run online support groups, and several of the books listed below are widely used for self-help.

CBT

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most researched talking therapy for binge eating. The NIDDK lists cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy and dialectical behaviour therapy among the therapies shown to help people with binge eating disorder, and notes that a licensed nutrition professional, such as a registered dietitian trained in disordered eating, can help with healthier eating patterns. [10] In CBT, a therapist helps you explore the thoughts, feelings and behaviours behind binge eating, plan regular meals, work out your triggers and keep your new habits going, as the UK’s NHS describes. [8] A meta-analysis led by Anja Hilbert found that psychological treatments, particularly CBT, were linked with lasting benefits a year or more after treatment ended. [9] Our CBT guide explains how it works.

Mindfulness-based programmes

Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT), developed by psychologist Jean Kristeller, combines meditation with guided practices around hunger, fullness, taste and self-acceptance. In a randomised trial led by Kristeller, people taking part in MB-EAT had far fewer binge episodes, with improvements similar to an active comparison programme. [2] The Center for Mindful Eating, in Free resources, has more on this approach.

Support from others

Binge eating thrives on secrecy, so talking to someone you trust can bring great relief. Friends and family can help most by listening without judgement and avoiding comments about weight or food. Online and in-person support groups connect you with others who understand. Eating disorder charities around the world, such as the National Eating Disorders Association in the US and Beat in the UK, offer free information and support. Our guide to loneliness and making friends may help too.

What recovery looks like

Recovery is rarely a straight line. Most people have good days and harder days, and a binge does not undo your progress. Over time, many people find that binges become less frequent, urges feel more manageable and food takes up less space in their thoughts. Celebrate small steps, such as eating breakfast, riding out one urge or speaking kindly to yourself after a difficult day. The NIMH notes that eating disorders can be treated successfully, and that early support helps. [4]

How self-help methods fit in

Several self-help methods fit naturally alongside recovery. CBT is the most researched approach, and mindfulness and meditation help with awareness and urges. Relaxation, yoga and tapping are popular ways to ease stress, and inner child work helps some people comfort the part of them that turns to food. You can see every method we cover in the full list above.

Frequently asked questions

What is binge eating disorder?

Eating a large amount of food in a short time while feeling unable to control it, at least once a week for 3 months. [3]

How common is binge eating disorder?

WHO surveys in 14 countries found about 1.9% of adults had experienced it in their lifetime. [6]

Can people recover from binge eating?

Yes. The US National Institute of Mental Health notes that eating disorders can be treated successfully. [4]

Should I diet to stop binge eating?

The NIDDK notes that skipping meals or not eating enough may contribute to binge eating, and the UK’s NHS advises not dieting during treatment. [7] [8]

Does CBT help with binge eating?

A meta-analysis found psychological treatments, especially CBT, had lasting benefits. [9]

Can mindfulness help with binge eating?

In a randomised trial, the MB-EAT programme was linked with far fewer binge episodes. [2]

Why does self-compassion help?

Kindness after eating can ease the guilt that often fuels the next binge. [1]

The best videos on binge eating

Hand-picked and checked one by one: Dr Tracey Marks, TED, Kristin Neff, Evelyn Tribole and the Eating Recovery Center.

Understanding binge eating

Riding out urges

Kindness and mindful eating

Books on binge eating

Free resources

Experts to follow

Get help

If eating feels out of control, your doctor or a local eating disorder charity can offer kind, confidential support.

Find a therapist or counsellor

• US and Canada: Psychology Today (US) and (Canada) directories.
• UK: BACP therapist directory.
• Australia: APS Find a Psychologist, and Relationships Australia for couple and family services.
• Elsewhere, including Europe and India: ask your doctor or local health service for a referral, and check that anyone you see is registered or accredited where you live.

This hub is for information, not a substitute for medical or psychological care.

Sources

1. Adams & Leary (2007), Promoting self-compassionate attitudes toward eating among restrictive and guilty eaters, Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 26:1120-1144
2. Kristeller et al. (2014), Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT) for binge eating: a randomized clinical trial, Mindfulness 5:282-297
3. NIDDK (US National Institutes of Health), Definition and Facts for Binge Eating Disorder
4. NIMH (US National Institute of Mental Health), Eating Disorders
5. NHS (UK), Binge eating disorder: overview
6. Kessler et al. (2013), The prevalence and correlates of binge eating disorder in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys, Biological Psychiatry 73:904-914
7. NIDDK (US National Institutes of Health), Symptoms and Causes of Binge Eating Disorder
8. NHS (UK), Binge eating disorder: treatment
9. Hilbert et al. (2020), Meta-analysis on the long-term effectiveness of psychological and medical treatments for binge-eating disorder, International Journal of Eating Disorders 53:1353-1376
10. NIDDK (US National Institutes of Health), Diagnosis and Treatment of Binge Eating Disorder

Written by Saj Ali. Last updated 31 October 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will fix it.