Bulimia Treatment: Advice and Options
Bulimia is an eating disorder compels people to binge on food
and then purge through self-induced vomiting, diuretics or
laxative abuse, or excessive exercise. People with bulimia tend
to feel guilty and disgusted about food and fat. Even though
most people with bulimia begin at normal weights, they think of
themselves as fat. Roughly 90 percent of the people with bulimia
are women, and the disorder usually begins a few years after
puberty. Genetics, social pressures, and emotional problems like
depression, low self-esteem, and extreme perfectionism
contribute to bulimia's development.
Without bulimia treatment, people with bulimia become dehydrated
and malnourished. This causes mineral and vitamin deficiencies,
resulting in dry skin, nails, and hair. Many people with bulimia
are constipated from laxative abuse. Constant vomiting brings up
stomach acid that irritates the throat and mouth. Many people
with bulimia have heartburn, gum infections, swollen salivary
glands, and cavities from the acid eroding tooth enamel. Without
treatment, some of side effects, like kidney failure, can become
fatal. Dehydration can lower the body's electrolyte levels,
causing heart problems or even death. About 10 percent of people
with bulimia will die from it.
Bulimia, however, is completely treatable. The sooner a person
begins bulimia treatment, the sooner the recovery. Successful
recovery depends on the work of psychiatrists, doctors,
dieticians, and the patient. Psychiatrists work with the patient
to break the binge-and-purge cycles and to educate the patient
about what she is doing to her body and mind. The psychiatrist
and patient must identify the triggers of a binging-and-purging
episode, as well as help the patient cope with an unhealthy body
image. The patient must learn to communicate openly and must
increase his or her self-esteem. Doctors work with the patient
to treat the effects of bulimia's dehydration and malnutrition
on the body. A dietician helps the patient develop healthy
eating habits.
Group therapy and support groups are also helpful for people
recovering from bulimia. Information about many support groups
can be found online.