This page was medically reviewed by David Waller, (BACP, FDAP), Eating Disorder Programme Lead at Life Works
Life Works is specialist provider of effective treatments for eating disorders like binge eating disorder (BED). Home to a world-class team of therapists, psychiatrists and expert nutritional practitioners, our Surrey-based rehab centre works tirelessly to improve the lives of those struggling with BED every day.
Learn more about how we treat BED at Life Works, and how we can help put you on a path to long-term wellbeing with our support.
How is BED treated?
Left untreated, BED can lead to life-altering physical issues such as obesity, diabetes and other complications, and it can also have a profound effect on your mental health. Sufferers can often get themselves into a vicious circle of guilt, depression and low self-esteem.
During treatment for binge eating disorder, you’ll work to overcome the underlying reasons for binge eating, developing a sustainable recovery that works in the long-term. At Life Works, we place you at the centre of your treatment and recovery journey, enabling you to overcome your eating disorder and work towards the healthy and productive life that you deserve.
Inpatient treatment
Inpatient binge eating disorder treatment sees you given specialist, round the clock care and support on a residential basis. Inpatient care occurs in a medically controlled environment, specifically designed to aid in recovery from your condition.
A residential stay is the most intensive kind of treatment available. Away from the potential triggers and distractions of normal life, an inpatient stay allows you to focus fully on your recovery.
During inpatient treatment, our specialists use our approach to eating disorder treatment to put together a treatment plan tailored to your needs, putting you on a path to long-term wellbeing. Potential treatments include:
- 1:1, group and family therapy
- Practical dietetic techniques
- Wellbeing activities like somatic movement and shiatsu
At Life Works, we are also able to prescribe specific antidepressant medication that help to treat any co-occurring mental health conditions such as depression.
Outpatient and day care treatment
BED can also be treated on a day care or outpatient basis. These less intensive options are perfect if you require treatment but don’t need to be monitored on a round the clock basis. Outpatient and day care treatment involve you coming to Life Works for an agreed upon set of sessions, where you’ll benefit from some of the very best care to aid in your recovery.
Outpatient and day care treatment are perfect for those who require ongoing support after leaving inpatient treatment, or need a less intensive entry-point to treatment.
Treatment for BED
During your treatment, you’ll take part in a number of effective treatments that are tailored to your needs. The Life Works experience takes place within a beautiful Georgian manor house in Old Woking. Together with an expert multidisciplinary team, our renowned rehab centre is the perfect location for turning your life around.
Treatments you might engage with include:
Therapy
Therapy is one of the most effective methods for treating eating disorders like binge eating. Depending on your individual needs and condition, different types of therapy may be appropriate for helping you get better.
Whichever therapy is right for you, therapy looks at the underlying causes of your binge eating, building sustainable coping strategies that help you to deal with triggers and guard against relapses in the long-term. Therapy is delivered in a one-to-one or group setting.
An example of group therapy at Life Works includes our family programme, which is one of the most effective methods for opening up meaningful dialogue between those struggling with eating disorders and their family.
Other examples of the most effective therapies at Life Works include:
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT): Identify, change and manage the thoughts and beliefs that underpin your eating disorder.
- Art informed therapy: Using art to create safe space to express your feelings, feel more in control and begin a journey of self-discovery.
- Drama therapy: Uses theatrical techniques and storytelling to help express emotions and resolve conflict.
- Mindfulness: A day-to-day, practical skill for manage wellbeing. Teaches us to be more present in the moment.
Alongside therapy, you might take part in other therapeutic techniques that focus on improving your wellbeing and general mental health. Examples include psycho-educational groups, body image/acceptance groups and relapse prevention groups.
Practical dietetic techniques
Life Works have the very best specialists, who use a variety of practical dietetic techniques, designed to help to gradually expose you to the concepts of healthy eating, diet and nutrition.
These include things like personalised meal plans, meal and post-meal support from the full multidisciplinary team, weekly shopping, and cooking groups. We also offer sessions with a dietitian.
Signs you might need BED treatment
Binge eating is associated with a wide variety of symptoms, which can vary from person to person. The most common symptoms of BED to look out for include:
- Eating lots of junk food in a single session, even when you’re not hungry
- Eating until you are uncomfortably full or having physical pain
- Chaotic eating habits, for example, not eating all day and then binge eating at night
- Eating in private due to embarrassment about how much you eat
- Feeling guilty after binge eating
- Lack of fitness and general ill health as a result of your unhealthy diet
- Bad skin and hair due to lack of nutrients
It’s also worth considering the most common triggers for binge eating. During treatment, you’ll work to identify these triggers and develop coping strategies so you can deal with them without binge eating. These might include:
- Mental health issues like depression, anxiety and stress
- Boredom
- Childhood habits
- Trauma or negative life events
Getting help for binge eating
At Life Works, we understand it can be daunting and overwhelming to acknowledge that you have a problem with binge eating, and the shame that surrounds this illness can often make people hesitant to reach out. But know that your condition is treatable. Getting in touch with Life Works is the first step to turning your life around.
The first step is to arrange a free eating disorder assessment. During your assessment, we can discuss the issues you’re experiencing and take you through how BED treatments works. You’ll also have the chance to ask any questions about the treatment process and develop a better understanding of the journey that you could be taking towards recovery.
For more information about the eating disorder services that Life Works offer, download our brochure.
Get our brochure