Bulimia Therapy
Full recovery from bulimia is possible. You may or may not have had a diagnosis but if you’re struggling then the first step is to reach out.
Bulimia, or bulimia nervosa, is an eating disorder characterised by recurrent episodes of overeating followed by compensatory behaviours with the aim of getting rid of the excess calories consumed. These compensatory behaviours typically include the use of vomiting, laxatives diuretics, excessive exercise, or fasting. People with bulimia often have a fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image.
Some of these features of bulimia may sound like your experience:
Binge Eating
Feeling out of control around food
Secretive eating or hiding food
Compensating for binges to get rid of calories and prevent weight gain
Body image issues
Self-harm
Perfectionism
Bulimia nervosa can have serious physical and mental health consequences, including electrolyte imbalances, dental problems, gastrointestinal issues, and an increased risk of depression and anxiety.
You are not alone. Recovery is possible.
Bulimia presents in two main ways. However, specialised therapy for bulimia needs to look beyond just the symptoms and tailor therapy to your needs.
Purging type
Binges will be followed by one or more compensatory behaviours in an attempt to get rid of the calories consumed. This includes:
Self-induced vomiting
Taking laxatives
Abuse of diuretics
Misuse of enemas
Non-purging type
After binge eating, individuals will engage in one (or both) of the following behaviours:
Fasting
Excessive exercise
The guilt, shame, and self-hatred that can come along with these behaviours can massively affect the quality of an individual’s life. These behaviours can extend into other areas of life through misuse of drugs, alcohol, and sex. Other issues such as depression, anxiety, and OCD often occur alongside bulimia, all of which we can address as part of our work together.
Having recovered from a long-term eating disorder (including binge eating and purging), I understand how hard it can feel to break the cycle and how much despair comes along with everything surrounding it.
I provide online therapy for adults struggling with bulimia nervosa. The approach I offer to help you overcome bulimia will be unique to your needs, which we’ll work on understanding together. This includes
Integrative counselling/psychotherapy - Drawing upon ideas/approaches across a range of psychological models, adapted to what might be most helpful for you.
Nutritional rehabilitation - This aspect of therapy uses a number of tools to address the dietary chaos, reduce cravings, and improve appetite/satiation.
Relapse prevention - This helps you identify triggers to avoid lapses, and how to quickly recover from any lapses that do occur.
My approach is based on giving you the support and practical tools needed to deal with the difficult emotions driving your struggles.
Recovery is about more than just getting rid of symptoms. It’s about helping you to thrive and live the full, meaningful life the eating disorder has been stealing from you.