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Bulimia Be Gone! Start Eating Right Again!

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Published: 23Jan2008
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Bulimia is self-starvation due to the irrational fear of becoming fat. It may sound too bizarre and even ludicrous to think that anyone would starve to the point of death in order to stay slim. However, bulimia is real because it is a mental illness with a distorted perception of how an individual may look. Bulimia is becoming a rampant eating disorder in the Western world, especially among more affluent individuals.

Bulimia is an eating disorder that is difficult to treat, especially when the disorder has been left untreated for a while. Such difficulty often deepens when the victim of the disorder not only resists help but also resents interference from people around.

The symptoms of bulimia are many, but often may not seem too apparent until the disorder has deteriorated.

Many people may be unduly self-conscious of their body weight that they count calories, watch food portions, and even skip meals every now and then. However, despite these abnormal eating behavior patterns, they may not be bulimic. Symptoms of bulimia, which are more apparent, include over exercising, cutting food into very small pieces, vomiting after meals and abusing laxatives. Unfortunately, victims of bulimia are often good at masking these symptoms of their disorder by wearing baggy or loose-fitting clothes, as well as vomiting and abusing laxatives in private. However, there are still some tale-telling signs in their abnormal behavior and difficult personality that might reveal their eating disorder, such as withdrawal from normal social activities; irritability, lack of trust, secretiveness, and stubbornness.

If you suspect that a close friend or a member of the family is bulimic, you should confront him or her, and seek medical help. People suffering from bulimia are mostly women in their twenties, often before twenty-five. An absence of three consecutive menstrual cycles is a good indicator. A distorted perception of size and shape reinforced by obvious weight loss with no physical disorder is another positive sign of bulimia. Other physical indications may include cold skin with a bluish tinge, and the development of fine body hair with loss of hair on the head. A physician's diagnoses of low blood pressure, abnormally slow heartbeat, severe constipation, difficulty in swallowing, indigestion, fatigue, sleep problems, and anemia would further confirm the disorder.

Is there a cure? How does one eat right again?

You must confront a bulimic individual head on. Confrontation or intervention is the only solution that might result in a cure. The patient seldom seeks professional help voluntarily.

Family members or people closest to the bulimic patient must intervene. However, they must not condemn or criticize the patient.

A bulimic will not only deny but also resist any intervention. At that point, standing firm is critical to successful outcome for the patient. In addition, you must arm yourself with facts and knowledge about the disorder.

To help the patient, you must not get angry or frustrated yourself; you must acknowledge the patient's fear and concern, while reassuring that changing eating habits is difficult but necessary for ultimate recovery.

Time is of essence, and procrastination often leads to ultimate failure in overcoming the eating disorder.

Once the eating disorder is acknowledged and identified, seek medical and professional help. Find a program based on the credentials and appropriate experience of the staff, as well as the components of the program, such as the assessment methodology, the in-patient component, and the medication therapy available. Once a close therapist-patient relationship is established, recovery is only a matter of time.

Yes, there is a cure for bulimia, and eating right again is an attainable goal.

Stephen Lau is a researcher, writing medical research for doctors and scientists. His publications include "NO MIRACLE CURES" a book on healing and wellness. He has also created several websites on health and healing, including the following: http://www.longevityforyou.com http://www.rethinkyourdepression.com

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