How to overcome bulimia

Have you ever thought that you have bulimia, or are eating problems making your life difficult? An estimated 4% of American women develop bulimia at some point in their lives, and only 6% of them receive treatment. ^{[1] X Research Sources} If you think you have bulimia or if you are looking for treatment, you can explore the options below.

Table of Contents

Overcome bulimia by yourself

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Determine if you have bulimia. In fact, self-diagnosing a mental illness is not advisable. ^{[2] X Research Source} So if you feel you need to see a doctor, you should consult a doctor, especially in the case of the following symptoms: ^{[3] X Research source}

Binge eating or eating more than usual at each meal.
Feeling out of control with eating.
Take an enema and use other methods of preventing weight gain such as vomiting, using laxatives/diuretics to compensate for overeating, fasting, or exercising. People with bulimia do this at least once a week for 3 months.
You care too much about how your body looks compared to other factors, and are overly self-deprecating about that appearance (weight, body shape and so on) even though it’s not.

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Identify motivating factors. ^{[4] X Research Sources} If you want to increase awareness of this issue, you should learn the reasons behind your emotions. These are events or situations that trigger emotions and make you want to eat so much that you throw up. You can avoid those causes if you identify them, or at least find a different approach. Some common motivating factors are:

Pessimistic perception of the body. Do you often look at yourself in the mirror and have negative thoughts or pessimistic feelings about your appearance?
Stress in personal relationships. Does arguing with parents, brothers, friends or lovers make you want to eat a lot?
Negative mood in general. Restlessness, sadness, anger, and other emotions can prompt the urge to overeat and vomit.

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Learn intuitive eating methods. ^{[5] X Source of Research} Traditional food programs are often ineffective in treating eating disorders and even worsen symptoms. However, intuitive eating methods can help you organize your food problem. This is a technique to learn to listen to and respect your body developed by nutritionist Evelyn Tribpe and registered dietitian Elyse Resch. ^{[6] X Research Sources} This method can help:

Develop introspection. Introspection is the ability to perceive what’s going on inside your body, which is a must for you to know what your body wants and needs. Lack of introspection has been linked to eating disorders. ^{[7] X Trusted Source Science Direct Go to Source}
Enhance self-control. Intuitive eating methods help relieve inhibitions, reduce loss of control and binge eating.
Feeling better in general. This method also has the effect of improving general health: less preoccupation with body appearance, higher self-esteem and so on.

Find support from experts and like-minded people

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Find treatment. Therapeutic interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy and communication therapy can aid recovery and have lasting effects. ^{[11] X Research Resources} If you live in the US you can visit mentalpogytoday.com to find a therapist near you. ^{[12] X Research Sources} You should find a specialist in the treatment of eating disorders.

Cognitive behavioral therapy seeks to reframe your thoughts and behaviors so that self-destructive tendencies stemming from these factors are replaced by healthier ways of thinking and acting. If your binge eating habits are caused by deeply held beliefs, like many others, cognitive behavioral therapy helps reshape the foundation for those thoughts and desires. ^{[13] X Research Source}
Communication therapy focuses on relationships and personality traits rather than specifically on behaviors and thinking patterns, ^{[14] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to the source} so it works more if you want cognitive-behavioral change guidance in a less focused way, which is more focused on relationships with family, friends, and yourself.
Therapeutic alliance is one of the most important factors for therapy to work, so it’s up to you to find a therapist that’s right for you. You may have to spend some time “searching here and there” until you find someone you can talk to, it’s important to the outcome of your treatment, so you shouldn’t force yourself to get treatment. someone who doesn’t feel right.

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Learn about drug options. In addition to therapy, there are a number of psychiatric medications that can treat bulimia. The basic class of drugs recommended for use in the treatment of eating disorders are antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine (Prozac). ^{[15] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}

Ask your family doctor or psychiatrist about using antidepressants to treat bulimia.
Drugs are most effective for some mental illnesses when combined with therapy rather than medication alone. ^{[16] X Trusted Source Science Direct Go to Source}

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Join a support group. While there isn’t much research data on the effectiveness of support group participation in the treatment of eating disorders, some say groups like Overeaters Anonymous may be an adjunct treatment option. ^{[17] X Research Source}

Visit this website to find a support group near you: click here.

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Consider inpatient treatment. For severe cases of bulimia, one should attend inpatient treatment in a psychiatric facility. Here you get better medical and psychiatric care than you would with self-treatment at home, outpatient treatment or joining a support group. ^{[18] X Research Source} You need inpatient treatment if ^{[19] X Research source} :

Impaired health or life threatening due to bulimia.
You have tried other treatments in the past but the disease recurs.
There are other health complications such as diabetes.

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Find a website that supports recovery. Many people seek support in online forums while waiting to recover. ^{[20] X Research Resources} These websites are an important communication resource, allowing patients to meet others with similar conditions and discuss the challenges of living with the disorder. eat and drink. ^{[21] X Research Sources} Here are a few sites you might be interested in:

Forum Bulimiahelp.org.
Eating disorder forum Psychcentral.com.
Forum of the National Association of Anorexia and Related Diseases.

Find support from family and friends

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Mentoring people in the support network. Research shows that family support plays an important role in recovery. ^{[22] X Research Resources} To increase your chances of being cured, you should educate close friends and family about this disease. Here’s how you can tap into your social surroundings, where recovery begins. Go to sites like the Brown University health education center ^{[23] X Caltech’s source of research} and care for people with eating disorders. ^{[24] X Research Source}

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Invite friends and family to educational events. Find information about educational events for bulimia from your local university, hospital or mental health facility. This is an opportunity for those close to you to better understand their role in your recovery. They will learn good communication techniques and general information about bulimia. ^{[25] X Research Sources}

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Understand your own needs. Family and friends may want to help you but they don’t know how, so you have to let them know what you need from them. If you have specific concerns about the way you eat, or if you feel judged about your eating habits, you should speak up!

Some studies suggest that bulimia has something to do with the way you were raised by your parents, specifically when they often resisted, talked from time to time or interfered too much in your child’s life. If your parents have such an upbringing, you should say what you feel is lacking, or conversely, they are overly concerned. If your dad is always hanging around while you’re eating, say that you’re grateful for the concern but that too much intervention only makes you feel negative about yourself and your behavior.
Research has shown that in many families with bulimia nervosa, communication seems to have been overlooked or overlooked. If you feel like no one cares about your words, you must assert stronger but not criticize. Tell your mom or dad that you have something important to say and that you’re worried because no one cares what you say. This helps them understand your concerns and position at the time.

Advice

Binge eating disorder has a high recurrence rate, ^{[30] X Research Sources} so you shouldn’t feel guilty or give up if you can’t get rid of it right away.

Warning

Binge eating can lead to other, more serious problems, such as malnutrition, hair loss, tooth decay, esophageal reflux, and even death. ^{[31] X Research Source} If you have a severe eating disorder, contact your doctor immediately.

Steps

Overcome bulimia by yourself

Find support from experts and like-minded people

Find support from family and friends

Advice

Warning

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