Binge Eating Disorder: A Case Study

Andrea Simpson has Binge-Eating Disorder (BED). There are five major criteria that must be met for the Binge-Eating Disorder diagnosis. The first key feature of this diagnosis is that there must be recurrent episodes of binge eating. Binge eating is considered eating food, within 2-hour periods, in larger portions than what most people would eat in the same timeframe as well as having a lack of control over the eating during the episode. The lack of control would be a feeling that one could not control or stop their eating. (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Andrea disclosed that she would eat big breakfasts and take large quantities of food to her dorm which she would consume over the next few hours. Andrea does indicate that she did not feel out of control when she was eating because she had the belief that she would stop when she finished the piece of food she had. It is also indicated however that this was a seldom occurrence where she would stop.
The second key feature of Binge-Eating Disorder is that the episodes are related with three or more of the following: eating more rapidly than normal, eating until uncomfortably full, eating large amounts of food when not feeling physically hungry, eating alone due to embarrassment of how much one is eating and feeling depressed, disgusted or guilty after consuming …show more content…
First and foremost, Andrea already disclosed that she was in psychotherapy and the therapist’s interventions were ineffective due to his/her lack of knowledge about eating problems. Ethically, the treating therapist should be honest about their expertise in the subject as well as their competency to treat an eating disorder. If the therapist is unable to treat the eating disorder, he/she should make a referral to get the client to someone who is better equipped to handle such cases. Also, the therapist must assess their potential bias towards eating disorders due to the existing