Binge-eating, or consuming larger amounts of food at a time than is normal. Feeling a lack of control over this binging. Purging and other methods of preventing weight gain, such as vomiting, using laxatives/diuretics to compensate for the overeating, fasting, or excessive exercising. People with bulimia do this at least once a week for three months. Body image issues, where your self-esteem is defined disproportionately by how you look (weight, shape, et cetera) compared to other factors.
Negative perceptions toward your body. Do you look in the mirror and experience negative thoughts and emotions about your appearance? Interpersonal stress. Does fighting with a parent, sibling, friend, or romantic partner make you want to engage in bulimic activity? Negative mood states more generally. Anxiety, sadness, frustration, and others can precipitate the desire to binge and purge.
Developing interoceptive awareness. Interoception is your ability to perceive what is going on inside your body; it’s a must for creating a healthier knowledge of what your body wants and needs. Deficiencies in interoception may correlate with eating disorders. [5] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Gaining self-control. Intuitive eating is associated with decreased disinhibition, loss of control, and binging. Feeling better overall. Intuitive eating is also associated with general improvements in well-being: less preoccupation with body issues, higher self-esteem, and more.
Writing in your journal at the end of each day will help you check-in with yourself and become more aware of how you’re feeling regarding your meals.
For balanced meals, focus on eating at least 3 food groups. As for the snacks, aim to eat at least 2 food groups.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy seeks to restructure your thoughts and behaviors so that self-destructive tendencies rooted in these aspects will be replaced by healthier modes of thinking and behaving. If you binge and purge because of deeply rooted beliefs about yourself, as many people do, CBT can help rework the ground level of those thoughts and expectations. Interpersonal therapy focuses on relationships and personality structure rather than more clearly defined thought patterns and behaviors,[9] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source so it may be more effective if you want less pointed behavioral instructions or thought-restructuring, and want to focus more on your relationships with family, friends, and even yourself. Therapeutic alliance is one of the most important factors in the effectiveness of therapy, so be sure to find a therapist you can work with. This may take a little “shopping around” until you find someone you feel comfortable confiding in, but it can mean the difference between recovery or relapse, so don’t settle!
Ask your family doctor or psychiatrist about antidepressant medication options for bulimia. Medication is most effective for some mental conditions when combined with therapy rather than taken alone.
Use this website to find a support group near you: click here.
Your health is deteriorating or your life is threatened as a result of bulimia. You’ve tried other methods of treatment in the past and have relapsed. You have additional health complications such as diabetes.
Bulimiahelp. org Forum. National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders Forum.
Some research links bulimia to parenting styles that are rejecting, ambivalent, or over-involved. If your parents exhibit these styles, talk to them about what you feel you aren’t getting, or are getting too much of in terms of attention. If your dad hovers around you all the time when you are eating, tell him that you appreciate the concern, but the over-involvement is actually making you feel more negatively about yourself and your behaviors. Research also suggests that in many families where eating disorders arise, communication can be discounted or ignored. If you feel like you aren’t being heard, bring this up in an assertive but nonjudgmental way. Tell your mom or dad that you need to tell them something important and you are worried that it won’t be heard. This will bring them into your concerns and help them understand where you are coming from.
