The best sources of bulimia support include medical professionals, friends and family members, and support groups and mental health workers. A combination of these resources is generally needed to ensure proper treatment. Sufferers may also find support from online groups and message boards.
Bulimia is an eating disorder which involves a combination of binge eating followed by purging, or self-induced vomiting. The purging is generally done for weight loss, and it is often caused by an underlying emotional issue. It can eventually lead to severe health complications such as starvation, organ malfunction, and esophageal damage.
Patients should begin treatment as soon as possible. Sources for bulimia support can include medical professionals who will diagnose and treat medical complications caused by the condition. Once the patient is stable, additional treatment can begin. This usually includes counseling and sometimes medication.
Counselors and other mental health professionals are also good sources of bulimia support. They generally help discover and treat the underlying causes leading to bulimia. These usually include emotional trauma of some sort, low self esteem, and worries about weight. Most sufferers also have an unrealistic view of their bodies and believe they are overweight even once the weight has come off.One of the most common treatments for bulimia is cognitive behavioral therapy, although sometimes anti-depression and anti-anxiety medications may also used in the beginning.
Additional sources of bulimia support include support groups and online message boards and groups. This allows patients to talk to others who understand the struggles and complications involved with bulimia. They can offer emotional support and advice for coping during treatment, as well as share tips of what has worked for them in certain situations. Online, questions can be asked and answered by other bulimia patients. This allows them to interact even if they are not comfortable with a more formal group situation.
Bulimia is a serious health condition and should be treated as soon as it is detected. Patients are generally not able to successfully battle eating disorders on their own, and without proper counseling and medical care they are prone to slipping back into the binging and purging pattern. Treatment should be continued for as long as necessary. Patients who do not know where to go for proper treatment should see their family doctor or even an emergency room for consultation and referrals. Most bulimia treatment takes place in a mental health facility or hospital.