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How to treat bulimia


Bulimia nervosa - Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis

If your primary care provider suspects you have bulimia, he or she will typically:

  • Talk to you about your eating habits, weight-loss methods and physical symptoms
  • Do a physical exam
  • Request blood and urine tests
  • Request a test that can identify problems with your heart (electrocardiogram)
  • Perform a psychological evaluation, including a discussion of your attitude toward your body and weight
  • Use the criteria for bulimia listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association

Your primary care provider may also request additional tests to help pinpoint a diagnosis, rule out medical causes for weight changes and check for any related complications.

More Information

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
  • Urinalysis
  • X-ray

Treatment

When you have bulimia, you may need several types of treatment, although combining psychotherapy with antidepressants may be the most effective for overcoming the disorder.

Treatment generally involves a team approach that includes you, your family, your primary care provider, a mental health professional and a dietitian experienced in treating eating disorders. You may have a case manager to coordinate your care.

Here's a look at bulimia treatment options and considerations.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy or psychological counseling, involves discussing your bulimia and related issues with a mental health professional. Evidence indicates that these types of psychotherapy help improve symptoms of bulimia:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy to help you normalize your eating patterns and identify unhealthy, negative beliefs and behaviors and replace them with healthy, positive ones
  • Family-based treatment to help parents intervene to stop their teenager's unhealthy eating behaviors, to help the teen regain control over his or her eating, and to help the family deal with problems that bulimia can have on the teen's development and the family
  • Interpersonal psychotherapy, which addresses difficulties in your close relationships, helping to improve your communication and problem-solving skills

Ask your mental health professional which psychotherapy he or she will use and what evidence exists that shows it's beneficial in treating bulimia.

Medications

Antidepressants may help reduce the symptoms of bulimia when used along with psychotherapy. The only antidepressant specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat bulimia is fluoxetine (Prozac), a type of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which may help even if you're not depressed.

Nutrition education

Dietitians can design an eating plan to help you achieve healthy eating habits to avoid hunger and cravings and to provide good nutrition. Eating regularly and not restricting your food intake is important in overcoming bulimia.

Hospitalization

Bulimia can usually be treated outside of the hospital. But if symptoms are severe, with serious health complications, you may need treatment in a hospital. Some eating disorder programs may offer day treatment rather than inpatient hospitalization.

Treatment challenges in bulimia

Although most people with bulimia do recover, some find that symptoms don't go away entirely. Periods of bingeing and purging may come and go through the years, depending on your life circumstances, such as recurrence during times of high stress.

If you find yourself back in the binge-purge cycle, follow-up sessions with your primary care provider, dietitian and/or mental health professional may help you weather the crisis before your eating disorder spirals out of control again. Learning positive ways to cope, creating healthy relationships and managing stress can help prevent a relapse.

If you've had an eating disorder in the past and you notice your symptoms returning, seek help from your medical team immediately.

More Information

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Family therapy
  • Psychotherapy

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Clinical trials

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Lifestyle and home remedies

In addition to professional treatment, follow these self-care tips:

  • Stick to your treatment plan. Don't skip therapy sessions and try not to stray from meal plans, even if they make you uncomfortable.
  • Learn about bulimia. Education about your condition can empower you and motivate you to stick to your treatment plan.
  • Get the right nutrition. If you aren't eating well or you're frequently purging, it's likely your body isn't getting all of the nutrients it needs. Talk to your primary care provider or dietitian about appropriate vitamin and mineral supplements. However, getting most of your vitamins and minerals from food is typically recommended.
  • Stay in touch. Don't isolate yourself from caring family members and friends who want to see you get healthy. Understand that they have your best interests at heart and that nurturing, caring relationships are healthy for you.
  • Be kind to yourself. Resist urges to weigh yourself or check yourself in the mirror frequently. These may do nothing but fuel your drive to maintain unhealthy habits.
  • Be cautious with exercise. Talk to your primary care provider about what kind of physical activity, if any, is appropriate for you, especially if you exercise excessively to burn off post-binge calories.

Alternative medicine

Dietary supplements and herbal products designed to suppress the appetite or aid in weight loss may be abused by people with eating disorders. Weight-loss supplements or herbs can have serious side effects and dangerously interact with other medications.

Weight-loss and other dietary supplements don't need approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to go on the market. And natural doesn't always mean safe. If you choose to use dietary supplements or herbs, discuss the potential risks with your primary care provider.

Coping and support

You may find it difficult to cope with bulimia when you're hit with mixed messages by the media, culture, coaches, family, and maybe your own friends or peers. So how do you cope with a disease that can be deadly when you're also getting messages that being thin is a sign of success?

  • Remind yourself what a healthy weight is for your body.
  • Resist the urge to diet or skip meals, which can trigger binge eating.
  • Don't visit websites that advocate or glorify eating disorders.
  • Identify troublesome situations that trigger thoughts or behaviors that may contribute to your bulimia, and develop a plan to deal with them.
  • Have a plan in place to cope with the emotional distress of setbacks.
  • Look for positive role models who can help boost your self-esteem.
  • Find pleasurable activities and hobbies that can help distract you from thoughts about bingeing and purging.
  • Build up your self-esteem by forgiving yourself, focusing on the positive, and giving yourself credit and encouragement.

Get support

If you have bulimia, you and your family may find support groups helpful for encouragement, hope and advice on coping. Group members can truly understand what you're going through because they've been there. Ask your doctor if he or she knows of a group in your area.

Coping advice for parents

If you're the parent of someone with bulimia, you may blame yourself for your child's eating disorder. But eating disorders have many causes, and parenting style is not considered a cause. It's best to focus on how you can help your child now.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Ask your child what you can do to help. For example, ask if your teenager would like you to plan family activities after meals to reduce the temptation to purge.
  • Listen. Allow your child to express feelings.
  • Schedule regular family mealtimes. Eating at routine times is important to help reduce binge eating.
  • Let your teenager know any concerns you have. But do this without placing blame.

Remember that eating disorders affect the whole family, and you need to take care of yourself, too. If you feel that you aren't coping well with your teen's bulimia, you might benefit from professional counseling. Or ask your child's primary care provider about support groups for parents of children with eating disorders.

Preparing for your appointment

Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your health care team. Ask a family member or friend to go with you, if possible, to help you remember key points and give a fuller picture of the situation.

What you can do

Before your appointment, make a list of:

  • Your symptoms, even those that may seem unrelated to the reason for your appointment
  • Key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes
  • All medications, vitamins, herbal products, over-the-counter medications or other supplements you're taking, and their dosages
  • Questions to ask your doctor, so you can make the most of your time together

Some questions to ask your primary care provider or mental health professional include:

  • What kinds of tests do I need? Do these tests require any special preparation?
  • What treatments are available, and which do you recommend?
  • Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing for me?
  • How will treatment affect my weight?
  • Are there any brochures or other printed material I can have? What websites do you recommend?

Don't hesitate to ask other questions during your appointment.

What to expect from your doctor

Your primary care provider or mental health professional will likely ask you a number of questions. He or she may ask:

  • How long have you been worried about your weight?
  • Do you think about food often?
  • Do you ever eat in secret?
  • Have you ever vomited because you were uncomfortably full?
  • Have you ever taken medications for weight loss?
  • Do you exercise? If so, how often?
  • Have you found any other ways to lose weight?
  • Are you having any physical symptoms?
  • Have any of your family members ever had symptoms of an eating disorder, or have any been diagnosed with an eating disorder?

Your primary care provider or mental health professional will ask additional questions based on your responses, symptoms and needs. Preparing and anticipating questions will help you make the most of your appointment time.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

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Treatment - Bulimia - NHS

Treatment may take time, but you can recover from bulimia.

Treatment for bulimia is slightly different for adults and those under 18 years old.

Treatment for adults

Guided help

You will probably be offered a guided self-help programme as a first step in treating your bulimia. This often involves working through a self-help book combined with sessions with a healthcare professional, such as a therapist.

These self-help books may take you through a programme that helps you to:

  • Monitor what you are eating – this can help you notice and try to change patterns in your behaviour.
  • Make realistic meal plans – planning what and when you intend to eat throughout the day can help you regulate your eating, prevent hunger and reduce binge eating.
  • Learn about your triggers – this can help you to recognise the signs, intervene and prevent a binge-purge cycle.
  • Identify the underlying causes of your disorder – this means you can work on those issues in a healthier way.
  • Find other ways of coping with your feelings.

Joining a self-help support group, like one of the Beat online support groups for people with bulimia, may be helpful to you.

If self-help treatment alone is not enough or has not helped you after 4 weeks, you may also be offered cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or medicine.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

If you are offered CBT, it will usually involve up to 20 sessions across 20 weeks.

CBT involves talking to a therapist, who will help you explore emotions and thoughts that could be contributing to your eating disorder, and how you feel about your weight and body shape.

They will help you to adopt regular eating habits and show you how to stick to them. They should also show you ways to manage difficult feelings and situations to stop you from relapsing once your therapy ends.

Treatment for children and young people

Family therapy

Children and young people will usually be offered family therapy. This involves you and your family talking to a therapist, exploring how bulimia has affected you and how your family can support you to get better.

You may also be offered CBT, which will be the same as the CBT offered to adults.

Looking after yourself

It's important to look after your health while recovering from bulimia.

If you are vomiting regularly, the acid in your vomit can damage your teeth over time. In order to minimise this damage you should:

  • avoid brushing teeth immediately after vomiting so you do not wear away the enamel
  • rinse your mouth with a non-acidic mouthwash
  • make sure you see your dentist regularly
  • do not drink or eat acidic foods, such as fruit juice, during a binge and after purging
  • do not smoke

Vomiting can also lead to risk of dehydration. To avoid this, make sure you drink plenty of fluids to replace what you have vomited.

Medicine

Antidepressants should not be offered as the only treatment for bulimia. But you may be offered an antidepressant, such as fluoxetine (Prozac), in combination with therapy or self-help treatment, to help you manage other conditions, such as:

  • anxiety or depression
  • social phobia
  • obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

Antidepressants are rarely prescribed for children or young people under 18.

Where treatment will happen

Most people with bulimia will be able to stay at home during their treatment. You'll usually have appointments at your clinic and then be able to go home.

However, you may be admitted to hospital if you have serious health complications, including:

  • being very underweight
  • problems with your heart
  • being very ill and your life being at risk
  • being under 18 and your doctors believing you do not have enough support at home
  • doctors being worried that you might harm yourself or are at risk of suicide

Your doctors will keep a very careful eye on your weight and health if you're being cared for in hospital. They will help you to reach a healthy weight gradually, and either start or continue any therapy you're having.

Once they are happy with your weight, as well as your physical and mental health, you should be able to return home.

Further support for bulimia

There are many organisations that support people with bulimia and their families, including:

  • Anorexia & Bulimia Care
  • Beat: beating eating disorders
  • Mental Health Foundation
  • Mind: for better mental health

Page last reviewed: 10 November 2020
Next review due: 10 November 2023

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This disease is treated by a Psychotherapist

The information provided on this page should not be used for self-treatment or self-diagnosis. If you suspect a disease, you should seek help from a qualified specialist. Only your doctor can diagnose and prescribe treatment.

  • Causes
  • Symptoms of bulimia
  • Classification
  • Diagnostics
  • Treatment of bulimia
  • Prophylaxis
    • nine0031

    What is bulimia?

    Bulimia is an eating disorder. The main signs of bulimia are bouts of uncontrolled consumption of large amounts of food, followed by emptying of the stomach by artificial induction of vomiting.

    The patient constantly overeats, after which he begins to feel guilty and tries to quickly cleanse the body in various ways (enemas, inducing vomiting, taking diuretics and laxatives). To reduce weight, people begin to torture themselves with heavy physical exertion and go on strict diets. nine0003

    Most often, the disease occurs in young girls aged 15-24 years, whose weight is in the normal range or slightly higher. Most patients are associated with areas that require weight control (gymnasts, runners, dancers, models).

    The diagnosis is made by a psychotherapist by interviewing and examining the patient, using psychodiagnostic questionnaires.

    How to cure bulimia? The therapy of the disease is complex and includes diet therapy, antidepressants, psychotherapy Source:
    Anorexia and bulimia nervosa: from history to the present. Barylnik Yu.B., Filippova N.V., Deeva M.A. Guseva M.A. Russian Psychiatric Journal No. 3, 2016. p. 36-45.

    Causes

    This mental disorder usually develops under the influence of social factors, which include:

    • imposition of artificial beauty standards on the Internet, on television, in advertising; nine0025
    • interpersonal contacts;
    • excessive self-criticism resulting from the negative influence of someone from close people;
    • low self-esteem, self-doubt;
    • desire for ideal forms, excessive pedantry.

    Bulimia nervosa is especially prevalent in the EU and the USA, where the fashion industry is well developed and the population is highly exposed to advertising, TV and the Internet. In recent decades, bulimia is increasingly common in Russia. nine0003

    But in the countries of Latin America or India, where beauty standards are different and "girls in the body" are valued, the number of patients with bulimia is extremely small.

    There are a number of other factors that can trigger the development of the disease:

    • hereditary predisposition;
    • lack of serotonin in the body;
    • depression;
    • chronic stress;
    • increased anxiety Source:
      Modern ideas of young people about eating disorders (bulimia). E. M. Solodovnik, L. A. Nepovinnykh. International Journal of Humanities and Natural Sciences №42, 2020. p. 159-163.

    Symptoms of bulimia

    The main signs of the disease are:

    • constant weight control, perception of oneself as a fat person, although in fact it is not, fear of gaining weight;
    • uncontrollable, obsessive desire to eat;
    • constant overeating - it happens objective when the patient really eats too much food at a time, and subjective when little food is eaten, but the person thinks that he overeats, the frequency of such episodes in bulimia is at least twice a week in for three months or more, after eating, the patient feels guilt, despair, anger; nine0025
    • getting rid of food eaten artificially to avoid weight gain (taking appetite suppressants, laxatives, inducing vomiting, cleansing enemas).

    To confirm the diagnosis of bulimia , the patient must have all 4 of the above symptoms. The diagnosis is made by a psychiatrist after examination and detailed questioning of the patient.

    In addition to the above signs, a person with bulimia feels loneliness, helplessness in front of his problem, he develops depression. As a result, in search of support, many people, instead of contacting a specialist, find thematic communities about bulimia and anorexia on the Internet and try to solve their problems on their own, which rarely gives a result. If bulimia is started, then over time this leads to metabolic disorders and the development of diseases of internal organs Source:
    Overeating as a way to regulate the emotional sphere of people with cleansing bulimia nervosa syndrome. Svitkevich Yu.V. North Caucasian Psychological Bulletin No. 1, 2021. p. 5-20.

    Classification

    There are two types of bulimia:

    • cleansing - after episodes of overeating, the patient tries to get rid of food by causing attacks of vomiting, enemas, laxatives and diuretics;
    • uncleaning - less common, in this case the patient tries to compensate for overeating with intense sports, fasting.

    According to the nature of attacks, three types of disease are distinguished:

    • paroxysmal - periods of overeating occur suddenly;
    • nocturnal - attacks of gluttony and hunger occur exclusively at night, during the day the appetite is normal or reduced;
    • constant - overeating is replaced by body cleansing, after which the patient soon begins to feel hungry again. nine0025

    Diagnosis

    Diagnosis is made by a psychotherapist based on anamnesis, questioning and examination of the patient, results of laboratory and instrumental studies. To determine the degree of metabolic disturbance, a blood test for biochemistry may be prescribed.

    If there are indications for diagnosing disorders in the functioning of internal organs, the doctor may prescribe such examinations as ECG, CT, ultrasound and a number of others.

    Bulimia treatment

    • 1. Psychotherapy . Bulimia needs to be treated comprehensively. After all, this pathology leads not only to organic and functional disorders, but also to psychopathological consequences for health. Therefore, for those who are looking for ways to get rid of bulimia on their own, it is better not to waste time and immediately seek help from specialists. The main treatment for bulimia today is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy . In addition, interpersonal therapy and cognitive-emotional therapy show good results. Children and adolescents are treated with systemic family therapy.
    • 2. Medical treatment . To correct this pathological condition, the patient is prescribed antidepressants . This helps to quickly normalize the emotional background, reduce the strength and frequency of seizures, which, in combination with psychotherapy, gives good results. With properly selected treatment and patient compliance with all the recommendations of the attending physician, the prognosis is favorable. nine0025
    • 3. Food . Patients need to eat varied, wholesome, do not overeat, do not starve, do not go on diets, refuse to take medications for weight loss.

    Prevention

    To prevent new attacks, the following preventive measures should be observed:

    • improve the patient's self-esteem;
    • create a healthy psychological environment in the family;
      • nine0023 set a person up for positive thinking;
    • create a stable and safe environment in the environment. Source:
      Transactional analysis of bulimia in a passive-aggressive personality. Dmitrieva N.V., Krasovskaya N.R. Medical psychology in Russia No. 6, 2018. pp. 1-16.

    It is necessary that the patient is clearly aware of his problems and understands that the struggle with them must continue until complete recovery. The most important preventive measure is the observance of the principles of rational and healthy nutrition. nine0003

    Patients with a confirmed eating disorder (EDD) need to see a psychotherapist periodically. The specialists of our clinic will help to cure the disease and avoid the severe consequences of bulimia.

    You can make an appointment with a doctor right now by calling the indicated numbers or filling out the feedback form on the website.

    • Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: from history to the present. Barylnik Yu.B., Filippova N.V., Deeva M.A. Guseva M.A. Russian Psychiatric Journal No. 3, 2016. p. 36-45
    • Modern ideas of young people about eating disorders (bulimia). E. M. Solodovnik, L. A. Nepovinnykh. International Journal of Humanities and Natural Sciences №42, 2020. p. 159-163
    • Overeating as a way to regulate the emotional sphere of people with purgative bulimia nervosa syndrome. Svitkevich Yu.V. North Caucasian Psychological Bulletin No. 1, 2021. p. 5-20
    • Transactional analysis of bulimia in a passive-aggressive personality. Dmitrieva N.V., Krasovskaya N.R. Medical psychology in Russia No. 6, 2018. p.1-16

    Article published : 10/12/2016
    Last updated : 11/06/2022

    See also

    Panic attacks

    Apathy

    Anxiety

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    Bulimia nervosa - therapeutic treatment, medication, therapy in Moscow

    Bulimia is a common eating disorder characterized by a constant preoccupation with food, an irresistible craving for food. Although the disease affects people of all ages, it is widespread among adolescents and young women.

    Article content:

    • What is bulimia?
    • Main symptoms
    • Diagnostic features
    • Consequences of disease
    • Methods of therapy
    • What you need to know about psychotherapy?
    • Importance of group and family therapy
    • Medical treatment
    • Disease control
    • Changing relationship with food
    • Fundamentals of proper nutrition
    • Medical support
    • How long does therapy last?
    • How to eat after recovery?
    • Where to go?
      • nine0031

      The biggest difficulty with this disorder is that the sick person does not seek medical help in the initial stages due to lack of awareness. Only a psychiatrist can diagnose bulimia nervosa, he also prescribes drug therapy, which is combined with psychotherapy. An integrated approach to treatment, drugs allow you to quickly cope with the problem, restore health, normal functioning of internal organs.

      What is bulimia

      Violation of eating habits occurs due to genetic predisposition, malfunction of the hormonal system, brain injury, heredity, cultural and social factors. Often, the symptoms of the disease develop against the background of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, stress.

      The peculiarity of the disease is that attacks of hunger cannot be controlled. At one time, a person can eat several daily doses of food. After comes a feeling of guilt, fear of getting better, so the patient tries to get rid of food. "Cleansing" means can be used, including inducing vomiting, taking diuretics, laxatives. In the anorexic course of the disease, long periods of fasting are characteristic. Over time, symptoms can cause anorexia nervosa to develop. nine0003

      Main symptoms

      The symptoms of bulimia develop gradually, so the disease goes unnoticed for years. At the initial stage, there are no external signs of the disease. Therefore, neither the patient nor his relatives see the need to contact specialists.

      Doctors recommend thinking about the problem if a person has become embarrassed to eat in public, adhere to food rituals (for example, eating one dish or eating only a certain group of foods). A significant increase in portions will also be a cause for concern - at a time the patient can eat 3-6 thousand calories. Despite frequent overeating, people do not get better. And in the house laxatives, diuretics are found over time. Also, a person closes for a long time in the toilet after dinner, emptying the stomach. Another cause for concern is the constant talk about appearance, diets. nine0003

      Diagnostic features

      To diagnose bulimia, you need to see a psychiatrist. A thorough examination is carried out, the general condition of the patient is assessed.

      Consequences of the disease

      If the eating disorder is not treated due to overeating and inducing vomiting, the following consequences for the body are possible:

      • calcium deficiency - problems with blood clotting, deterioration of teeth and bones, increased risk of osteoporosis; nine0025
      • disturbed electrolyte balance, which adversely affects the work of the cardiovascular system;
      • lack of chlorine - leads to dehydration, digestive dysfunction;
      • damage to tooth enamel, irritation of the throat, mouth, ulcers on the tongue;
      • bleeding in the stomach, distension of the stomach, regular constipation, pancreatitis, bowel disease;
      • cancer of the esophagus or larynx.

      It will take several years to eliminate the consequences, and the full recovery of the body may not be possible even with the help of medical methods. Sometimes diet and supportive care is needed throughout life. nine0003

      Treatment methods for bulimia

      Eating disorders require psychiatric supervision, complex treatment, drug therapy, psychotherapy, work with a nutritionist to restore nutrition.

      Bulimia nervosa is treated by a psychiatrist. Only he has the right to prescribe drug therapy, draw up a treatment plan. Psychologists also work with the patient. The nutritional consultant works with the patient to develop healthy eating habits. nine0003

      What you need to know about psychotherapy

      The main symptoms of the disorder are associated with impaired perception of one's body, lack of safe defensive reactions to stress, problems with self-esteem.

      An important tool in the fight against illness is psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy, art therapy, dance movement therapy, and other techniques can be used. Depending on the patient's problems, assistance may be required in:

      • formation of an adequate perception of oneself, one's body, lack of dependence of self-esteem on weight; nine0025
      • finding other ways to encourage or deal with problems - food should not be the only remedy for negative or positive emotions;
      • fixing the correct patterns of behavior at cultural, family events, social adaptation;

      The importance of group and family therapy

      Patients with ED often have two problems - strained relationships with family and lack of support. Relatives often do not realize or understand the seriousness of the disease. Family psychotherapy will allow you to sort out conflicts, psychological trauma, help you understand the characteristics of the condition of a person diagnosed with bulimia, and teach you how to properly support a loved one. nine0003

      Group lessons are needed to understand problems, communicate with people with similar difficulties. This is an important stage for socialization, preparation for the challenges that appear when returning to a full life. Other patients can support, give strength to fight, set a positive example.

      Drug treatment

      Bulimia can be treated with drugs in several ways. First, for the correction of appetite. Drugs can suppress strong feelings of hunger to help the patient during the formation of willpower, new eating habits. nine0003

      Secondly, since eating disorders are accompanied by anxiety, depression, and disturbances in the production of dopamine or serotonin, the treatment of bulimia cannot be carried out without drugs aimed at correcting the psycho-emotional state.

      Third, medical treatment of bulimia is necessary for serious health problems. Vitamin, mineral complexes, drugs for therapy for gastritis, stomatitis, ulcers and other concomitant diseases arising from constant vomiting, overeating can be prescribed. nine0003

      Treatment of bulimia

      Eating disorders do not respond well to self-treatment. Without the help of specialists, it is impossible to accurately diagnose, understand the causes of the development of the disease and choose methods for recovery. Do not engage in treatment with antidepressants or other serious drugs without consulting a doctor. Otherwise, many problems will not be solved, which will lead to the likelihood of a relapse or the transition of the disease to anorexia.

      People with bulimia are often unaware of the dangers of their condition. Therefore, complex methods of treatment, supervision by professionals, operational correction of the methods used, drugs, depending on the patient's condition, are necessary. nine0003

      Changing your relationship with food

      After accepting the disorder, you will begin to change your eating habits under the supervision of a nutritional consultant. To combat the symptoms, drug treatment will be effective in order to reduce the feeling of hunger, restore hormonal levels, and other body systems. To achieve the effect, you need a clear control over your diet, taking into account calories, proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

      Symptoms of bulimia may return over several years. Therefore, breakdowns are possible, you do not need to blame yourself for them. It is important to analyze the reasons for the loss of control, to exclude possible relapses. While eating, it is better to forget about the TV or other distractions in order to eat consciously, to recognize the taste and smell of food. nine0003

      The basics of healthy eating

      With bulimia, strict diets should be abandoned, which only exacerbate an unhealthy self-image. Starvation, excessively low-calorie nutrition are unacceptable. All this increases the feeling of hunger, leads to breakdowns. To cope with bulimia, you must adhere to the rules of a balanced, healthy diet. Nutritionists recommend fractional meals. Small portions of 5-6 times a day are a great way to deal with hunger.

      To improve your mood, you should add fruits, berries, yellow and orange vegetables to your diet. Gradually, you need to increase the number of products, monitor the BJU.

      In the treatment of a disease, a drug approach is often used to compensate for the lack of vitamins, macro- and microelements. For the same purpose, food products are also selected. It is important to restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, improve digestion: make a diet consisting of vegetable soups, chicken broth, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, rye bread, fresh vegetables, fruits, greens, dairy products with low fat content. nine0003

      At first, you should not eat semolina, mayonnaise, vegetable oil, spicy dishes and a lot of spices, coffee, tea. This will relieve the burden on the body, which is important after regular overeating.

      Drug therapy for bulimia

      Drug treatment of bulimia is necessary to effectively fight the disease and restore the functioning of organs. With a long course of bulimia, the patient is often found to have gastritis, problems with the teeth, a violation of the water-salt balance, and other problems. nine0003

      Strong stress on the nervous system contributes to frequent bouts of hunger, so the use of medications is effective. The type and dosage can only be prescribed by a doctor. It is acceptable to use medication to relieve anxiety. With the help of medication, you can speed up recovery, reduce the number of breakdowns, and the likelihood of relapse.

      How long the treatment lasts

      The duration of psychological and drug therapy cannot be precisely determined. The recovery period depends on factors such as:

      • individual features;
      • the nature of the causes that provoked the development of the disease;
      • age, weight;
      • the duration of the course of eating disorders.

      It usually takes up to three years to form adequate habits, to learn to feel the body, to perceive the body correctly. It is unacceptable to slow down the pace of therapy when the first improvements appear, because this increases the risk of the disease returning. In this case, recovery will take much longer. nine0003

      How to eat after the end of treatment

      After working with a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, psychologists and drug treatment of bulimia, the patient is waiting for independent work. At the end of therapy, you must:

      • follow the recommendations made by nutrition consultants;
      • do not go on hunger strikes or mono-diets;
      • eat in small portions in order to have time to feel full;
      • be careful when eating at events, on holidays. nine0025

      Where to go?

      Eating Disorders Research Center offers comprehensive outpatient and inpatient treatment for bulimia. The Center's professionals work with eating disorders, provide patients with prompt diagnostics, and selection of treatment methods.

      Learn more