Recurrent binge eating episodes occur.
A binge episode involves eating, in a discrete period, an amount that is definitely larger than most people would eat in similar circumstances.
There is also a sense of lack of control over eating during the episode.

The binge episodes are associated with at least 3 of the following: eating much more rapidly than normal, eating until uncomfortably full, eating large amounts when not physically hungry, eating alone because of embarrassment, or feeling disgusted, depressed, or very guilty afterward.

The binge eating is not associated with regular compensatory behaviors and does not occur exclusively during bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa.

Binge-eating disorder centers on recurrent loss-of-control eating that feels distressing and hard to stop, but without the regular purging or compensatory behaviors seen in bulimia nervosa. Patients often describe shame, secrecy, and feeling disconnected from hunger or fullness cues.
No regular compensatory behaviors: That is the major dividing line from bulimia nervosa and helps keep the diagnosis conceptually clean.
Distress required: The person has to be meaningfully distressed by the binge eating, not just overeating from time to time.
Frequency threshold: The episodes need to recur often enough to form a syndrome, with DSM threshold set at least weekly for 3 months.
Clinical focus: Brief self-report tool for binge-eating severity.

Brief self-report tool for binge-eating severity.

Useful when broader eating-disorder symptom tracking is needed.

Lisdexamfetamine has diagnosis-specific FDA labeling for moderate to severe binge-eating disorder in adults.

Check drugs.com/sfx for common side effects. Direct side-effect links for the medications in this section are below when available.

Seek urgent help if there are thoughts of suicide, self-harm, or feeling unable to stay safe.³
Seek urgent help if there are thoughts of harming someone else, escalating violent urges, or loss of behavioral control.³
Take hopelessness seriously, especially if the person feels trapped, cannot imagine staying safe, or is withdrawing from support.⁴
Use emergency services if there is immediate danger, severe agitation, psychosis, intoxication, or inability to care for basic needs. In the United States, call or text 988 for crisis support and call 911 for immediate danger. Use emergency services in your region if you are outside the U.S.³

Simple Psych

Binge-Eating Disorder