Do you feel completely out of control around food, like you can’t stop eating and are trapped in a cycle you can’t break? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, binge eating disorder (BED) is more common than many people realize, as it affects millions of people and is the most common eating disorder in the U.S. Despite that, it’s often misunderstood and mistaken for a lack of willpower around food—but it’s not a matter of personal failure. Rather, binge eating is the sign of a complex condition, one that has proven, effective solutions backed by evidence. Today, we’ll look more closely at binge eating disorder and its criteria, unpack common triggers, identify ways to stop bingeing, and explore resources and next steps in your healing process.

What is binge eating disorder? Signs and criteria

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), binge eating disorder is defined as eating an excessive quantity of food in a discrete period of time (e.g., within a two-hour window) at least once per week for three months or more. During a binge episode, it’s common to feel a loss of control, where you feel like you’re unable to stop eating. “People feel out of control and impulsive, unable to stop even if they want to,” explains dietitian Amy Goldsmith RDN, LDN. After a binge, people typically experience significant distress, but don’t engage in compensatory behaviors like excessive exercise or purging (which distinguishes BED from bulimia nervosa).

A diagnosis of binge eating disorder typically also requires three of the following criteria:

• Eating much more rapidly than usual
• Eating until uncomfortably full
• Eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry
• Eating alone due to embarrassment about how much you’re eating
• Feeling disgusted with yourself, depressed, or very guilty afterward

Keep in mind that binges are different from having a big meal or a snack, or occasionally overeating or eating past your body’s fullness signals—which are healthy and important parts of recovery. “Occasional overeating, like having seconds on a holiday or enjoying dessert after a big meal, is a common and often joyful part of normal eating,” adds dietitian Victoria Whittington, RDN.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), approximately 2.8 percent of adults in the U.S. will experience binge eating disorder at some point in their lives, which is higher than the prevalence of other eating disorders like bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. BED is more common in women than in men, with women accounting for around 60 percent of those diagnosed with binge eating disorder. Though it can develop at any stage of life, it often begins inlate adolescence or early adulthood. Binge eating disorder is commonly associated with other mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders.

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Understanding binge eating triggers

The specific triggers for binge eating can vary from person to person and circumstance to circumstance, but they tend to fall into one of several different categories. “Binge eating can be triggered by a mix of biological, emotional and environmental factors,” Whittington explains. Below, we’ll explore the most common types of binge eating triggers.

Biological triggers: the binge-restrict cycle

Some form of restriction is usually at the heart of most instances of binge eating and most cases of binge eating disorder. The binge-restrict cycle is a pattern of restriction, followed by binge eating, then another period of restriction, and on and on.

“Undereating during the day or restricting certain foods can increase hunger hormones and make the brain more sensitive to food cues, setting the stage for a binge,” Whittington says. Additionally, food restriction often leads to obsessive thoughts about food and extreme hunger, which can contribute to a binge. After the binge, you might find yourself feeling ashamed or guilty, which can lead to more restriction, then another binge, and so on.

Emotional triggers: stress and emotions

For many, binge eating is a coping mechanism gone awry: when you reach for food in a compulsive and excessive way, you may really be reaching for help and soothing. One 2020 study of men and women with binge eating disorder found that binge eating may function to alleviate unpleasant emotional experiences. Without healthy ways to handle difficult feelings and stressful life situations or process past trauma, you may instead turn to disordered behaviors, like bingeing, to numb the emotional pain. Sometimes, food can become a companion in moments of loneliness or boredom until you’ve found other ways to help get your needs met.

Environmental triggers: people and places, times of day, and food insecurity

Sometimes, being overwhelmed in social situations with negative body image or pressures to fit in or eat a certain way can trigger binge eating. This can be especially true if you’re around people who are entrenched in diet culture themselves, or are visiting places that feel chaotic or uncomfortable.

You might also notice that certain times of day might trigger the urge to binge—for example, 2024 research shows that it’s most common for people to binge around dinner time. Finally, more 2024 research shows that food insecurity is linked to binge eating, with the study revealing that food insecure teens are at risk of developing binge eating disorder in the future.

Expert-backed strategies: how to stop binge eating

Healing from binge eating disorder is like recovery from other eating disorders in that it requires intention, time, patience, and support. Below are the four key tenets of how to stop binge eating.

Foundational step: break the cycle with structured eating

Because restriction can lead to bingeing, it’s important to create a structured meal plan and food routine (ideally with the help of a registered dietitian) to avoid going long periods of time without food. “Structured eating is often one of the most impactful tools to support recovery from binge eating,” Whittington explains. “Eating balanced meals and snacks every three to four hours throughout the day can help keep blood sugar stable, reduce food preoccupation, and make it easier to respond to internal hunger cues.”

Many people need three meals and two to three snacks each day, but energy and nutrient needs vary from person to person. Whittington says that it’s critical to follow the eating structure even if your hunger cues aren’t present yet. This is an example of mechanical eating—a temporary tool in eating disorder recovery in which people “eat by the clock” rather than by hunger. “This helps to normalize hunger and fullness cues and decrease food thoughts and cravings over time,” she adds.

However, it’s important to make sure your eating structure isn’t rigid or restrictive and that it satisfies you, because otherwise, it could still set you up to binge. To do this, it’s best to work with a dietitian on a structure that supports your unique needs and preference. Your dietitian will “assess your nutrition needs and provide recommendations that focus on consistent fuel throughout the day to ensure physiological hunger doesn't create a binge,” Goldsmith says.

In the moment: skills to cope with an urge to binge

First, understanding what triggers your binge eating can help shine a light on the root of the problem. Once you know your triggers and what causes urges, you can develop healthier ways to cope with them rather than resorting to binge eating. Below are some strategies to turn to when you have an urge to binge, and you can explore more coping skills on our YouTube channel.

• Shift your nervous system. Goldsmith recommends disrupting the intensity of an urge by shifting the nervous system in the heat of the moment. You can do this with actions like “splashing your face with very cold water, going outside in the cold, or squeezing a frozen orange,” she shares. Other ways to help regulate your nervous system include spending time with a safe person, listening to soothing music, talking about calming topics, holding objects or photos that evoke pleasant memories and feelings of safety, using mindfulness practices like extended exhale breaths, mindfully moving your body, or engaging your senses.
• Check in. All urges can be an invitation to slow down and turn inwards with curiosity. “It can help to pause and check in with what’s going on internally,” Whittington says. “It's most helpful to do this without judgment. Ask yourself: Am I hungry? Am I feeling something uncomfortable that I’m trying to soothe with food?” Often, the urge is showing you that you have an unmet need that’s not food-related (as long as you’re not physically hungry and you’re not in a calorie deficit).
• Meet your need. If you conclude that there’s an unmet, non-food need (e.g. comfort, rest, release, safety), try and help yourself meet that need the best you can. If it’s comfort, cuddle with your pet or a cozy blanket or call a close friend or family member. If it’s release, perhaps it feels good to scream into a pillow or dance around your living room. The idea is that the more often you meet your non-food needs without bingeing, the less intense your urges will be to binge.
• Practice mindful eating. Mindful eating can also be a useful tool to reduce bingeing, as it’s “a practice that encourages slowing down, tuning into hunger and fullness cues, and becoming more aware of the eating experience,” Whittington explains. In a 2024 study, people with binge eating disorder who took part in weekly mindful eating sessions saw significant improvements in how often they binged, how they felt about their bodies, and their overall quality of life. While more long-term research is still needed, these results suggest that slowing down and becoming more aware at mealtimes could be a powerful step toward healing from binge eating disorder.

Cognitive and behavioral skills (from CBT-E)

Research shows that enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-E) is an effective approach for binge eating disorder recovery. There are some CBT-E skills that are particularly helpful for binge eating disorder that can be used during an urge and at other times. These include:

• Challenge all-or-nothing thinking. “If you catch yourself thinking, ‘I already messed up today, so I might as well keep eating,’ try pausing and asking, ‘What’s a more helpful way to look at this?’” Whittington suggests. You might shift to a thought like, “I don’t have to be perfect and I can get back on track with my next meal,” for example. “Over time, replacing all-or-nothing thinking with more balanced self-talk helps reduce shame and supports long-term healing,” Whittington says.
• Self-monitor. Maintaining a detailed journal of food intake and mood can reveal thought patterns, triggers, and feelings associated with binge episodes. You can use an app like Recovery Record, a template from your treatment team, or your own journal—whatever helps you the most.
• Delay the urge. Once an urge hits, try pausing and setting a timer for five or ten minutes (or however long you feel like you can tolerate) to put some space between you and the urge. Whittington says doing something different once an urge starts can help lessen its power and give you the opportunity to respond instead react. Sometimes, simply walking outside or changing rooms can be enough. Goldsmith also suggests changing your environment by going for a walk or taking a shower. When the five minutes are up, reassess how you’re feeling and see if bingeing still feels like the right solution.
• Review barriers to recovery and create a relapse prevention plan. Once you’ve started to try new coping skills, notice what gets in the way and makes it hard to resist an urge and choose something else. It could be a physical issue, such as struggling to eat an adequate breakfast so you’re not overly hungry at the end of the day. It could be an emotional issue, like not getting enough time for yourself, so you’re reaching for food to try and fulfill that need through food. Work with your treatment team and other support people to identify such barriers and create a plan that helps reduce or remove them, and make sure to include how you’ll navigate setbacks.

Professional treatment options

Binge eating help can come in many different forms, depending on how much support you need. It’s always best to work with a team so you get the holistic, multidisciplinary collaboration necessary to effectively address the eating disorder. This team often includes a registered dietitian, therapist, doctor, and sometimes a psychiatrist, who all work together to support your recovery. At Equip, patients also have access to a mentor who has lived experience recovering from an eating disorder. If you’re interested in virtual, evidence-based binge eating disorder treatment at Equip, you can schedule a (free, no commitment) consultation with a team member.

A sample 7-Day blueprint for recovery

You might be wondering what recovery from binge eating disorder looks like. While the journey will be different for each person, there are certain themes and focus areas that will likely emerge for everyone navigating the path of BED recovery. Here’s a general snapshot of what the first week could include:

• Day 1: Focus on establishing a regular eating pattern. This may look like shooting to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and some snacks around the same time each day. Try to strike a relative balance of food groups at each eating experience and be sure to include foods you love (nothing is off limits). As I mentioned earlier, there’s no need for rigidity, and the goal is to be nourished during the day to feel your best and prevent getting overly hungry later.
• Day 2: Practice identifying one emotional trigger. Once you’re eating consistently and enough, you can start to notice emotional triggers to binge eat. Is it that you’re feeling lonely at the end of your day? Or perhaps something happened that brought up a painful memory from the past. Use nonjudgemental curiosity to notice what you’re feeling when you get triggered.
• Day 3: Try one "in the moment" coping skill. Do your best to pick one of the above skills, like checking in or delaying the urge, to practice and see what happens. Keep in mind that it takes time and usually professional help to discover the skills that work best for you.
• Day 4: Focus on self-compassion after a difficult moment. Recovery always comes with struggles and often self-criticism when things don’t go as planned. When you’re having a tough moment, try being kind to yourself instead, reminding yourself that other people are struggling with binge eating disorder too and that your thoughts and feelings are not you (even though it may feel like it), but something difficult you’re experiencing. Then, take some time to speak lovingly to yourself—like you would a good friend going through the same thing—instead of judgmentally.
• Days 5-7: Continue practicing these skills, emphasizing consistency over perfection. Notice which combinations of foods feel best in your body and see if there are any tweaks that you need to make to your eating pattern (alongside your dietitian). Take it one day at a time, get to know your triggers, and see which coping tools help you the most and which ones to leave behind.

Resources and your next steps

Binge eating disorder is a complex illness, not a matter of willpower. Recovery takes time, tools, and support, but it’s entirely possible. If you’re struggling with binge eating disorder, it’s best to get a professional assessment to help you clarify your path forward. When you’re ready, you can schedule a free consultation with Equip to get started.

In the meantime, here are some other resources to help you learn more about binge eating disorder and find the support you need:

• NEDA Helpline
• NHS Guide to Binge Eating Disorder
• ANAD free peer support groups
• EDA meetings
• Binge Eating Disorder: The Journey to Recovery and Beyond by Amy Pershing
• Food Psych podcast episode about healing from emotional eating, binge eating

FAQ

How do I stop binge eating right now?

The best way to disrupt the binge-eating cycle is to reach out for professional help to start your recovery process with the support you need. You can schedule a free consultation with Equip to get started. During that call, you’ll get a no-commitment eating disorder assessment, and discuss treatment options and next steps for care.

What is the first step to stop the binge-restrict cycle?

Aside from reaching out for professional help, the first step to stop the binge-restrict cycle is to make sure you are eating enough food throughout the day and that you’re not restricting (even a little bit). Not eating enough during the day or cutting out specific foods can raise hunger hormones and heighten the brain’s response to food, making a binge more likely. This kind of restriction often triggers intense hunger and constant thoughts about food, increasing the chances of losing control around eating. Afterward, feelings of guilt or shame may set in, which can lead to further restriction—creating a cycle of bingeing and restricting.

How can I tell the difference between extreme hunger and a binge urge?

Extreme hunger is physiological, while a binge urge is usually emotional. To tell the difference between the two, take a moment and look back at the last 24 hours and ask yourself questions like, “Have I eaten enough food from multiple food groups? Have I restricted at all?” If you are well-fed and haven’t restricted, chances are higher that you may be experiencing a binge urge. However, if you haven’t eaten enough, your body may be simply trying to get you to eat as quickly as possible to get your basic food needs met.

Can I stop binge eating without professional therapy?

It’s difficult to heal from binge eating disorder without professional therapy, because there are often emotional issues at the heart of the eating disorder that need to be healed. Recovery also requires learning healthy coping skills which a therapist will help you build, and adhering to a balanced and structured meal plan, which a dietitian can help you develop.

Why do I binge eat at night and how can I stop it?

You may binge eat at night because you’re not eating enough during the day and your body is trying to get you to meet your energy needs (in fact, binge eating most often occurs at night). Alternatively, if you’re getting your energy needs met and getting satisfied at your meals and snacks, but still binge eating at night, it’s likely an emotional or mental issue driving the bingeing. Often, it can be a combination of both physical and emotional issues that drives binges. The best way to stop bingeing at night is to get professional help from a dietitian and therapist. Your dietitian will help you understand your energy and nutrient needs and help you make sure you’re not living in an energy deficit, and your therapist will help you identify emotional or mental concerns that are leading to bingeing at night.

Is it possible to stop binge eating for good?

It’s definitely possible to stop binge eating for good, however, it takes patience, support, and commitment to the recovery process. The first step toward stopping binge eating forever is reaching out for professional support.