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A different kind of eating disorder is getting some attention these days: binge eating disorder (BID). While the disorder is not as quickly fatal as bulimia or anorexia, it is still deadly. People with binge eating disorder may or may not be heavy, but usually they have extra pounds on them. This does not mean every overweight person has a binge eating disorder, it just means that some of them do.

I tell you this because this disorder is not as well-known as bulimia and anorexia, so people may never have heard of it. Anorexia, starving oneself to lose weight because they see their already thin body as heavy, is well-known because so many models and celebrities have suffered with it. Bulimia, binge eating paired with vomiting afterward is also a disease several celebrities have talked about in the media.

So what kind of therapy do these sufferers need? One form of therapy that seems to have some success for bulimia and BID is the 12 step group. These groups use the 12 steps for alcoholics anonymous, modified for their particular addiction. Besides following the 12 steps and learning to take responsibility for one's own actions in regard to eating, the groups perform several other functions.

First, they are a group of people who suffer with the same problem. Finding that you are among others who also suffer is a step toward ending the isolation that often comes with BED, bulimia, and sometimes anorexia. Second, sharing with others in a controlled setting also allows the suffering person to express things he/she may have held in for many years. Since the 12 steps include anonymity, it also gives a feeling of safety to those who have often not felt safe in a long time.

Since overweight people are frequently judged, they cannot really be open about what they are going through with the general public. But within the confines of a 12-step group, they can feel free to tell their secrets without judgment. This is something they should be able to do with their family, friends, and especially their doctors, but it really takes someone who's been there to really understand. Another plus, is that the eating disorder sufferer is likely to gain a sense of responsibility for their own problems and hence, leave behind the victim role that can keep them bound to their destructive behaviors.

There are many other advantages to attending a 12-step group. Any group who shares a common problem can be an asset in seeking healing from binge eating disorder, but the 12-step program has many

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