You have worth. You deserve love and support.
And you are stronger than your struggles, and can recover!
Bulimia is a serious eating disorder, sometimes easily disguised. You may be affected by it in various ways, but it is defined by consistent periods of binge eating. This involves eating large amounts of food in a short amount of time.
Bulimia can be divided into purging and non-purging types. This depends on how you follow a period of binge eating. Self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives or diuretics, and misuse of weight-loss supplements are all common methods of purging. Excessive exercise and fasting are common methods of non-purging.
What are the warning signs of bulimia nervosa?
- Being preoccupied with your body shape and weight
- Fear of gaining weight
- Feeling ashamed after eating
- Changing weight
- Being unable to control yourself when eating
- Damaged teeth and gums
- Swelling in the hands or feet, or enlarged glands in the neck or cheeks
- Regularly using the bathroom right after meals
What are the warning signs of bulimia nervosa?
If these behaviors and symptoms feel familiar to you, you should reach out to your doctor right away.
You may feel terrified to do so. The root of these behaviors could be emotions and fears that you have held onto for a long time. But you deserve to get the help you need in order to live a happy, healthy life.
You don’t need to go through this alone.
Medical attention is the first step to recovery.
Treatment will generally consist of meeting with your primary care doctor, a dietitian, and a therapist on a regular basis.
The goal of bulimia treatment is to break your pattern of binging and purging.
You ultimately want to reclaim a healthy relationship to food and your body.
