Abstract
Cognitive behavior treatment (CBT) and Dialectal behavior therapy (DBT) have been the gold standard treatment for binge eating disorders. However, patients with dysregulated affect respond better to DBT, which is usually offered by psychologists and also by some psychiatrists properly trained in DBT. Most patients with binge eating disorders cannot afford the high cost of this service when offered by a psychologist. Furthermore, psychologists and psychiatrist who are well trained in DBT practice work mainly in urban centers in big cities and usually have long waiting lists. In other words, the high cost and the lack of availability of this treatment modality outside urban centers in big cities resulted in the service not being available for patients who need it the most.
Drs Debra Safer, Sarah Adler, and Philip Masson remedied this issue. They developed a self-help resource book that guides the patient to overcome binge eating using a step-by-step approach to learn and practice (DBT). The book is well written and easy to understand; it is intended for patients who have never studied or practiced (DBT).
The main themes of DBT, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance are explained in the 13 chapters of the book. A specific set of skills is addressed in each chapter, followed by exercises and homework assignments to guide the reader to think and absorb the material they learned in the chapter. The exercises and homework assignments are followed by feedback from ex-patients after they completed those exercises and homework assignments. This approach is helpful as it allows the reader to compare his or her experience in completing the assignments to those who have successfully completed the self-help program.
The self-help program guides patients to successfully overcome binge eating via mastering and practicing DBT skills. Those skills include self-monitoring using a dietary card. Also, binge eating slips are expected and addressed by doing chain analysis first to identify and then avoid situations and events that trigger binge eating. Chain analysis replaces the usual feelings of guilt and shame the patient experiences after a binge. The patient will also learn about the emotional brain, rational brain, and how to balance the two of them to reach the desired wise mind that will guide the reader to make wise decisions that are appropriate to his or her situation.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this well-written and reasonably priced book to patients who are struggling with binge eating and for whom DBT, delivered either individually or in a group, is not accessible. This book is the first self-help program that describes a step-by-step approach to DBT for binge eating disorders. The authors are internationally known for their research and innovative evidence-based treatment of adults and adolescents with binge eating and weight concerns. In this book, they have successfully translated their clinical expertise into an easy-to-understand self-help resource program for patients struggling with binge eating.