Diseases that are based on a mental disorder are quite difficult to treat, since all symptoms are only an external reflection of ongoing processes. In such cases, treatment of somatic conditions is ineffective without restoring the psyche, since the fight against the effect is useless unless the causes are eliminated. The problem is that it is extremely difficult to find out the cause of the disease - often the patient himself is not able to clearly explain when and how it all began, what served as the impetus for the emergence of a stable reflex. Moreover, it is generally difficult for a person to notice any deviations in himself, and when he does pay attention to them, he explains it as a common habit. To contact a doctor, the problem must begin to seriously bother the patient, so treatment begins when the disease is at an advanced stage. Often, a visit to the clinic is initiated by relatives or friends who convince the patient to seek help.

Bulimia is one of the types of eating disorder, a behavioral syndrome expressed in a reaction to stress, neuroses or other emotional states in the form of feelings of extreme hunger and the absorption of large amounts of food. The patient does not feel full; he eats until painful sensations appear.

The consequence of this is a feeling of shame for such manifestations, attempts to get rid of what was eaten by inducing vomiting, the use of laxatives, attempts to starve or exhaust oneself with physical activity.

Important! Bulimia should not be confused with a similar disease - psychogenic (compulsive) overeating.

The similarities are very great, but the difference between them is that when overeating, a person tries to close himself off from problems in this way, and with bulimia, he simply experiences severe hunger, alternating with attempts to correct the situation by radical methods. This behavior has a detrimental effect on:

1. Esophagus. Frequent passage of vomit causes a burn of digestive acid to the mucous membrane.
2. Oral cavity. The condition of tooth enamel deteriorates, the mucous membrane of the gums is damaged from exposure to gastric juice during vomiting, and constant irritation of the larynx is observed.
3. Impaired liver and kidney function.
4. Frequent use of laxatives causes intestinal disorders.
5. Metabolic disorders that provoke heart disease, menstrual irregularities in women, and there may be internal bleeding.
6. Lack of salts and minerals, causing cramps or involuntary muscle contractions.
7. Depressive states.

The greatest danger of the disease is that it is very difficult to recognize in the early stages, and the patient is not able to control his behavior and is not aware that he is sick. Most often they try to explain this by “features of the body,” “habit,” etc. At the same time, attempts to neutralize their actions are very active, they are used very intensively and in large doses. All this against the backdrop of constant stress due to a feeling of shame for one’s behavior. A “vicious circle” arises - nervous tension provokes attacks of hunger, which cause attempts to get rid of what was eaten and somehow neutralize what happened, causing new stress. Thus, the disease progresses, simultaneously destroying internal organs and causing additional destructive processes.

It is they who often become the reasons for visiting a doctor, and the main problem remains unrecognized, continuing its effect until the moment when it becomes completely obvious. The patient monitors his weight, external signs are almost completely absent. The disease is purely female; men suffer from this disease very rarely, although no one has yet been able to link this circumstance to gender. Many experts attribute this situation to the characteristics of female psychology, increased emotionality and susceptibility to stress.

Treatment methods for bulimia

Medication methods will not solve the problem, since its essence lies in the psychological plane. In most cases, treatment of the disease takes place on an outpatient basis; hospitalization is used only in the most advanced cases, when the consequences of the disease require urgent measures.

For treatment, a complex method is used, combining psychoanalysis, behavioral therapy, and only last but not least, medication. The main task that arises during treatment is to help a person realize the presence of a problem, its signs and symptoms. The patient must learn to analyze his well-being detachedly, without emotional stress, and control his behavior and way of thinking.

The main issue becomes a person’s ability to understand and accept his condition, take control of his experiences and change his overall outlook on things. We must learn to break down a problem into its component parts and deal with each of them separately:

1. Monitor your diet, monitor the frequency and amount of food you eat.
2. Stop paying too much attention to your appearance, in particular, don’t be afraid of getting too fat.
3. Stop using laxatives and do not consider playing sports as a means to hide your illness.

The most important step in solving the problem is understanding that this is a disease that can be overcome to a greater extent by personal efforts than by medications and procedures. Specialists are required to help in acquiring the correct psychological attitude, which eliminates the occurrence of stressful situations and emotional breakdowns due to what is happening. The patient must understand that his problem is not an isolated incident, this has happened before and will continue to happen, therefore it must be treated as a nuisance, but not as a tragedy.

Correcting the patient’s interpersonal relationships is of great importance, in particular, changing the degree of his responsibility to others. A person must realize that the opinion of others is only someone's opinion, and in no way an order or obligation. Group therapy has a very great effect in this regard, where people with the same problems begin to gradually change their attitudes and increase their self-esteem.

Family therapy is no less important, helping to identify and eliminate the sources of pathological attitudes in thinking, and organize close and positive control over the patient’s condition.

Drug treatment comes down to prescribing antidepressants that support the patient’s psychological state, as well as eliminating side problems - blood pressure, dysfunction of the kidneys, liver, intestines, etc.

Self-treatment of bulimia

If it is not possible to turn to specialists, you can and should try to heal yourself. First of all, you should have a clear understanding of the magnitude of the problem and the fact that you have to fight with yourself. Therefore, help and support from household members is highly desirable. But the main burden, of course, falls on the shoulders of the patient himself, and one must be prepared for this. You need to fully define your feelings and accept that you have a disease. Not a habit, not a feature of the body, not a condition, but a disease that must be overcome, not with the help of drugs or diet, but by changing the way of thinking and attitude towards oneself and others.

The main postulates that you need to instill in yourself:

1. Understanding your condition, realizing that it is a disease.
2. Refusal to hush up the problem, calmly discuss it with friends and family members.
3. Getting rid of the fear of being misunderstood or judged by others. Understanding that this is not the most important thing in the current situation.
4. Recognition of the complexity of the problem that has arisen and the need for considerable effort to resolve it.
5. Willingness to make certain sacrifices in the healing process - remember that only bitter medicine heals.
6. Determination to overcome your illness, a strong desire to return to normal.

Important! All attitudes must constantly be strengthened and nourished, because any weakening of self-control threatens the loss of all achieved successes.

In parallel with psychological treatment, you need to re-teach your body to react correctly to the amount of food eaten and to give signals of satiety. Here you need constant self-control, recording the amount of food consumed. Everyone knows how much he should eat at one time, and we must build on this amount, not allowing the average values ​​to be exceeded. It is useful to know the number of calories in common foods and the nutritional value of the food you eat. You need to be prepared for the fact that at first you won’t feel full and feed yourself purely mathematically, according to the principle “as much is enough.” You shouldn't expect quick results; you shouldn't improve; it will be a very long and difficult process. Usually it lasts from 2-3 years, it is impossible to predict anything more precisely, everyone has their own, individual period.

Experts advise at first to create a meal schedule that is more frequent, but with small portions, about 100-200 grams. In this way, the stomach stops stretching, it gradually reduces its volume and begins to get used to normal amounts of digested contents. At the same time, it is recommended to eliminate all distractions - TV, music, etc., in order to fully concentrate on thoughtful eating. You need to chew it thoroughly, feel the taste, smell, reviving all the body’s reactions.

A proper diet is a very important factor in fighting the disease. Following the recommendations of nutritionists for bulimics will help speed up the process of restoring body functions and adjust the signaling system of the digestive complex. Let's look at the list of foods that can and shouldn't be consumed during treatment:

As can be seen from the table, the composition of the preferred products completely falls into the light, dietary category. This list is based on the need to remove the load from the gastrointestinal tract, ensure easier functioning of the entire digestive system and, most importantly, create conditions for contraction of the stomach.

Video - Bulimia Nervosa

Medication support

The psychological assistance measures used can be significantly enhanced by drugs that relieve stress and nervous tension. Excessive stress on the psyche will not bring any benefit; the use of antidepressants is a completely appropriate addition; the only condition that must be met is a consultation with a doctor. Only he will be able to correctly prescribe the dosage and determine whether this or that drug can be used in this case.

Most often used Fluoxetine And Phenibut. Both are classified as antidepressants, but act in the opposite way - Fluoxetine works as a stimulant, activating and mobilizing the nervous system. Phenibut, on the contrary, is calming and relaxing, which makes it most convenient to take before bed. With these differences, both medications promote resistance to hunger pangs.

What to eat after finishing treatment

So, all the problems are behind us, life is wonderful. And now everything is possible. Or is it not? The opinions of doctors here agree that you should not immediately start eating all previously forbidden foods, since a sharp change in diet in itself is quite harmful; it can provoke, if not a return of past problems, then create the preconditions for it. At the same time, there is such a point of view: everything that is prohibited is most desirable. The stronger the ban, the more you want. For these cases, it is recommended to use a regime of reasonable consumption - you don’t need to drive yourself to obsessive visions, you just need to take and eat what you want, but in moderation. In this way, you can relieve the psychological stress that arises from the ban and save yourself from fighting desires. In addition, after a long diet, the body itself will not accept anything unnecessary; it will certainly give a signal that this product is undesirable. A little bit of everything - this should be the motto for everyone involved in a regular diet, and this can easily be attributed not only to bulimia, but also to most other ailments.

An unhealthy increase in appetite may be a sign of the development of a dangerous disease - bulimia.

Bulimia is a disease in which frequent bouts of uncontrollable eating necessarily end with the rapid disposal of what was eaten by artificially inducing vomiting.

This disease is insidious and multifaceted. A person who quickly and indiscriminately “swallows” food that comes to hand is not aware of what is happening and cannot stop. The situation is aggravated by stomach pain, weakness of the body, the presence of a very strong appetite and the psychological dependence of the patient. Concomitant diagnoses for bulimia are often central nervous system disorders and endocrine pathologies.

Bulimia: symptoms of the disease: photo

Bulimia is extremely difficult to diagnose, because its signs cannot always be recognized. You can suspect bulimia in a person who is characterized by:

Frequent overeating, “swallowing” food in chunks
obvious changes in weight, either up or down
depression or sudden mood changes
taking laxatives and diuretics
diseases and defects of teeth, damage to enamel
visiting the toilet too often
unhealthy skin
hangnails on fingers and swollen cheeks due to constant vomiting
desire to eat in solitude
lack of strength, fatigue
hoarseness of voice

IMPORTANT: If treatment is not started in time, bulimia will quickly gain momentum and lead to irreparable consequences.

Bulimia after dieting

People who are usually on diets are dissatisfied with their appearance, namely their weight. To reduce body weight, they undergo daily grueling workouts and strict dietary restrictions.

A healthy body experiences severe stress from this lifestyle. Not only the internal digestive organs suffer, but also the human psyche. Innocent, at first glance, attempts to follow strict diets lead to severe breakdowns.

A person pounces on food that he has denied himself for so long, and receives great satisfaction from the process of eating food. The euphoria does not last long. After realizing how many “forbidden” foods were eaten, there comes a fear of gaining back the previously lost kilograms and the need to empty the stomach as soon as possible.

At this moment, a terrible disease is born - bulimia.

Over time, the need for the process of eating and the feeling of fullness becomes greater and greater. It becomes impossible to control food intake. Accordingly, trips to the toilet to get rid of “unnecessary” food are becoming more and more frequent.

IMPORTANT: If this addiction is not detected in time and you do not try to change your lifestyle, a person suffering from bulimia falls into a vicious circle, from which it is very difficult to get out.

Bulimia nervosa (psychological)

Bulimia nervosa occurs due to low self-esteem, stress and mental trauma, depression, depression, and fear of gaining excess weight. The easiest way for a person to get rid of oppressive psychological states is through food, which is why the so-called “eating” of problems occurs.

You can distinguish developing bulimia nervosa from simple overeating by the following signs:

Lovers of good food are picky about food and have certain culinary preferences. Developing bulimia does not leave the patient the right to choose - he eats everything with the same appetite
With overeating, satiety occurs, but with bulimia, it does not. Only pain and cramps in the stomach can stop a bulimic from eating food.
a person prone to overeating does not experience sudden mood swings. The character of people suffering from bulimia is characterized by apathetic traits and loss of interest in normal life.

IMPORTANT: Bulimia nervosa most often affects the fairer sex. Men are less predisposed to such diseases.

Bulimia attacks

Bulimia attacks can be compared to coughing or asthma attacks. They are uncontrollable and beyond the will and desire of the patient. During each attack of bulimia, a person eats about two and a half kilograms of food.

Food absorption ends with the onset of heaviness in the stomach, increased heart rate, drowsiness, sweating and weakness. The patient develops feelings of guilt and shame, which push him to desire to empty his stomach of what he has eaten as soon as possible. After artificially induced vomiting, the feeling of hunger sets in again and everything starts all over again.

IMPORTANT: At the beginning of the development of the disease, the patient may experience 2–5 attacks per month, in severe advanced cases – 5–7 attacks per day.

Consequences of bulimia

Bulimia can quickly destroy the entire body. This happens gradually and begins with the development of diseases of the stomach, pancreas and intestines. Then problems with the circulatory system appear.

At the same time, the condition of the patient’s skin, nails and teeth sharply deteriorates. Tooth enamel suffers greatly, as it is regularly attacked by stomach acid. Then comes the turn of the excretory system. Kidney diseases develop and the liver can no longer cope with the load.

IMPORTANT: In women during this period, the menstrual cycle is disrupted, and premature menopause may begin.

Constipation becomes a constant companion of a bulimic. Bleeding from cracks in the mucous membranes of the esophagus may occur. The endocrine system is severely affected. And these are not all the troubles that await those who, in pursuit of an ideal figure, choose bulimia. Severe cases of bulimia are untreatable and fatal.

Can anorexia occur after bulimia?

Although anorexia is the exact opposite of bulimia, both are complex eating disorders and share a common goal: strict weight control. Both of these diseases are characteristic of people obsessed with thinness and having a distorted idea of ​​the beauty of the body.

Those with bulimia lose weight slowly or not at all. They may even weigh a little more than normal, which is not what they want. If, in his quest to lose weight, the patient decides to take extreme measures and completely refuses to eat, his weight will begin to quickly decrease, and bulimia will gradually turn into anorexia.

Nutrition for bulimia

To fight bulimia, you need to learn to control the urge to vomit. This requires specific nutrition, because the “wrong” food will quickly bring all attempts to get rid of bulimia to naught.

Patients make most mistakes at the moment when it seems to them that their bulimia has subsided. They begin to eat high-calorie foods and eat food in large quantities. The body cannot accept such food and, according to the usual pattern, rejects it.

IMPORTANT: After bulimia, you should not eat fatty, spicy or starchy foods until the basic functions of the body are restored.

A diet that helps cure bulimia should consist of the following foods:
vegetable soups and purees
chicken broths
oatmeal on water
Rye bread
fresh and stewed vegetables
kefir, low-fat cottage cheese

IMPORTANT: At the beginning of treatment, the body will not accept hot, cold, flaky, sour, sweet foods.

At first, all food will have to be chewed very slowly and thoroughly. When your stomach gets used to it a little, you can try adding new dishes to your diet, and also experiment with the taste and temperature of food.

IMPORTANT: A doctor can determine the correct diet for complete recovery from bulimia. He will also give recommendations on restoring metabolic processes and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

How to deal with bulimia? How to treat bulimia?

IMPORTANT: Treatment of bulimia occurs comprehensively, simultaneously in three directions: psychological, medicinal and nutritional.

To cope with bulimia on your own, you must first get rid of the feeling of guilt. To do this you need:
calm down, try to understand the reasons for the “hungry” dissatisfaction
promise yourself to do everything possible to fight the disease
repeat as often as possible: “I am safe. I'm not in any danger."
respect and allow yourself any emotions, including negative ones
realize that fictional ideals are far from real life
try to love your body, complexion
find a new hobby, activity
visit interesting places, go on vacation
have pets and plants
seek help from a specialist

IMPORTANT: A favorable outcome of treatment for bulimia largely depends on the psychological mood of the patient.

Medications for the treatment of bulimia

To treat bulimia, antidepressants and antipsychotics are used, which help fight attacks and resist the acute need for food.

• The first drug your doctor will prescribe will be Fluoxetine (60 mg/day). This drug works as both an antidepressant and a stimulant. It is used during the daytime and has few contraindications. The minimum duration of treatment is 6 months
• Another widely used drug in the treatment of bulimia is Phenibut. It has a good sedative effect. Taken at night
• Ondansetron reduces the frequency of binge eating and purging. It has a number of serious side effects, such as abdominal pain, migraines, constipation. Prescribed at the beginning of treatment at a dose of 25 mg/day. At the end of treatment, the daily dose can reach 400 mg/day

IMPORTANT: Medicines such as Bupropion and Trazodone, despite their high effectiveness, should not be used to treat bulimia due to serious side effects.

Bulimia and pregnancy

For women suffering from bulimia, pregnancy becomes a difficult ordeal, because the lives of mother and child are at risk. Attacks of overeating and the need to cleanse the body in pregnant women are no different from similar processes in ordinary women, however, the consequences are different.

Bulimia in pregnant women leads to the birth of premature, low-birth-weight children with immature organs and tissues, miscarriages, and premature births.

IMPORTANT: Even the birth of a healthy child carried by a bulimic mother does not exclude the appearance of serious problems in the baby in the near future.

The only positive thing about pregnancy with bulimia is the possibility of a quick cure for the disease. An expectant mother who cannot love and accept herself and her body needs to seriously think about the health of her unborn baby. Understanding that the child’s life is at risk is often enough for a woman to take decisive action.

Bulimia in children

Bulimia in children is quite common. The causes of this phenomenon may be psychogenic and physiological factors. Psychogenic include:

IMPORTANT: Parents who notice signs of bulimia in their child should definitely consult a doctor.

Treatment of children for bulimia takes place only under the supervision of specialists and consists of several stages:

1. Psychoanalysis, which helps determine the cause of an eating disorder
2. Changing erroneous behavior patterns at the subconscious level
3. Drawing up a new menu, prescribing medications
4. Increasing self-esteem, learning to communicate with others
5. Elimination of psychological factors that provoke the development of the disease.
6. Group therapy

IMPORTANT: Hospitalization is carried out extremely rarely, in very advanced cases.

Despite the fact that bulimia is a dangerous, difficult-to-treat disease, if the patient has the desire and active actions, it can still be overcome. To prevent the disease from returning, it is enough to strictly follow the doctor’s recommendations.

Video: Bulimia. How to cure bulimia

As a rule, a food addict is his own nutritionist, and a pretty good one at that. The nutritional and energy value of foods: the amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, calorie content, digestibility of nutrients and diet for bulimics, anorexics and compulsives have long been no secret. And the slogans of nutritionists from the series “Life without carbohydrates is the path to slimness” only make you sad. Unfortunately, dietetics in its pure form is powerless against food addictions. And confusing a nutritionist with an eating disorder specialist is the same as confusing him with a gastroenterologist or a surgeon. So advice on dietetics, which the average person would happily use, will not be suitable for a food addict. And following diets and other dietary requirements will lead to a new breakdown. So we skip the traditional calorie counting and move on.

Food diaries.

The favorite method of treating eating disorders of many psychiatrists and psychotherapists, which very rarely appeals to food addicts because of its tediousness and, as a rule, low effectiveness. Often the need to count every bite eaten tends to aggravate the problem rather than lead to the development of healthy eating behavior.

However, if you like to write down your thoughts and feelings, why not give it a try? Recognize and not deny the presence of bulimia, anorexia or compulsive overeating, understand the reasons, try to harmonize your difficult relationship with food, do not scold yourself for breakdowns, reward (not with food) even the smallest victories over food addiction.
“It didn’t help either,” you answer. Then let's move on.

Pills that reduce appetite.

Reducing the feeling of hunger without calories is possible only by influencing the central nervous system. And various antidepressants and tranquilizers can have this effect: Fluoxetine, Prozac, Sibutramine, Reduxin, Afobazol, Remantadine, Goldline, Lindax, Meridia and others. They disrupt the neuronal reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin, and thus inhibit the hunger center and stimulate the satiety center. But do not forget that these drugs are prescribed by a doctor for serious mental illnesses, and one can imagine the effect they have on a healthy psyche. A huge number of side effects, addiction and worsening food addiction when discontinuing the drug are by no means a tempting prospect.

As a rule, Fluoxetine and other antidepressants briefly help food addicts under the age of 25 to remove the symptoms of bulimia, while many in the first months of use can experience an emotional uplift and a surge of vitality (the effect is often a consequence of getting rid of depression, which in most cases accompanies food addiction addiction at this age).
Food addicts over the age of 30, when taking antidepressants and tranquilizers, experience drowsiness and a state of indifference to the world around them. The body of people with a chronic eating disorder, as a rule, tolerates the use of these medications and the reaction to them is minimal.
The basic principle is that as soon as you stop taking antidepressants, symptoms return. Taking Fluoxetine every day throughout your life is the same as taking painkillers for a constant headache without seeing a doctor: in some situations, without thinking about the problem seriously, in others, postponing it until the last minute.

→ Report "Clinical effectiveness of the antidepressants Fluoxetine-acri (Profluzac) and Prozac in the treatment of eating disorders"

Replace regular food with sports food.

Not so long ago, sports nutrition became widespread in the Russian market. But food addicts have already developed a special attitude towards it: this is the remedy that allows you to get a balanced complex of vitamins, minerals and nutrients and get rid of the feeling of hunger. Make no mistake. Even sports nutrition manufacturers recommend combining it with regular foods, as well as with physical activity. Abuse of sports nutrition can lead to allergic reactions, gastroenterological and other problems.

Laxative instead of vomiting.

Cleansing procedures, in addition to vomiting, also include the use of laxatives. The most popular among bulimics include Bisacodyl, Senade, Senadexin and some others. Abuse of laxatives leads to dyspeptic disorders, flatulence, allergic reactions, diarrhea, which may be accompanied by dehydration and water-electrolyte imbalance (muscle weakness, cramps); when using high doses or long-term use - intestinal atony and other gastrointestinal disorders. So taking laxatives is by no means the best alternative to induced vomiting.

Soothe a scratched throat.

It would seem that nothing bothers you more with the symptom of induced vomiting than a sore throat. Frequently drinking warm liquids (milk, herbal teas with mint, chamomile, sage), gargling with herbal infusions (chamomile, calendula, eucalyptus, sage) are readily available remedies that will help soothe irritation. In addition to them, you can use tablets for sore throat, such as Strepsils, Faringosept, Grammidin, Tantum Verde and others. It is also recommended to spray the throat with medications (Ingalipt, Kameton, Tantum Verde and others), which contain plant essential oils, to avoid swelling and other inflammatory processes.

The “dazzling” smile of a food addict.

I love lemons - is this how you explain to your dentist the increased acidity in your mouth that is causing you to experience erosion of tooth enamel, caries, swelling and inflammation of the gums? To save your teeth at least a little from the destructive effects of induced vomiting, you need to adhere to the following:

• 1

  It is necessary to avoid brushing your teeth immediately after induced vomiting, as this can lead to mechanical removal of a layer of hard dental tissues damaged by acids: the enamel from exposure to acid is most susceptible to abrasion and will eventually acquire a brownish tint.

• 2

  Rinse your mouth with warm water or use mouthwash for 1 minute. It is best to rinse your mouth with a baking soda solution (2 teaspoons per glass of water).

• 3

  You can brush your teeth no earlier than 30 minutes after induced vomiting. Use a soft toothbrush for cleaning.

• 4

  Use fluoride toothpaste and fluoride rinses at least twice a day.

• 5

  Eat fermented milk products (cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir, cheese and others) more often.

• 6

Hands up.

Damaged skin of the hands: scratches, abrasions on the knuckles from teeth during pulling, and even scars - the mark of a slave to bulimia. And getting rid of it is not so easy, as every bulimic can later discover. Various creams cause addiction, irritation and allergic reactions with prolonged use, and not everyone manages to use improvised means, for example, a toothbrush, to induce vomiting. In addition, it is much easier to damage an already scratched, inflamed throat with foreign objects.
Favorite creams for bulimics:

Clearvin heals scratches and abrasions,

Eplan is a cream with a stronger effect: it is used not only for healing wounds and burns, but also in the treatment of trophic ulcers, bedsores, psoriasis, viral infections, etc.

D-panthenol ointment is also a potent ointment, excellent for regenerating damaged skin. In the absence of an allergic reaction, you can try so-called overnight applications: apply the ointment to your hands in a thick layer, after which you first put on plastic gloves and then woolen ones. However, this procedure is not recommended to be repeated more than once a week due to the possibility of allergic reactions and addiction.

Do not overuse various creams and ointments, constantly monitor and care for the skin of your hands. Do not refuse various hand baths with vegetable oils and herbs: a daily set of various measures will to a certain extent help mask this distinctive feature of a bulimic.

Lazy stomach syndrome, heartburn and pain.

It's no secret that food addictions contribute to the development of gastrointestinal diseases. If you experience stomach pain, you should immediately consult a doctor. If you want to continue to self-medicate, and you have heartburn, sour belching and pain, then you can take the following medications: Gastrofarm, Gastal, Almagel. But do not forget: if the disease is not treated, it begins to progress. As the medical practice of the Eating Disorders Clinic shows, food addictions are not the cause of diseases such as ulcers and gastritis, but can have a beneficial effect on their development.

The most common problems when stopping laxatives are diarrhea and constipation, which sometimes cannot be overcome by eating fiber (vegetables and fruits), prunes, healthy dairy products, rice or oatmeal (in water), vegetable broths, or taking Probiotics such as Linex, Bifiform, Acipol, Bifiliz, Acilact, etc. If these problems torment you for more than 2 weeks, consulting a doctor is inevitable.

Heart problems.

And in this fragment we are not talking about relationships with a lover. Eating disorders have a negative impact on the heart, leading to arrhythmia, tachycardia and other cardiovascular pathologies, which can subsequently cause a heart attack, which leads to disability and even death. And unfortunately, even the use of sedatives cannot guarantee you a significant reduction in the load on the heart during a breakdown.

Share your problem, and it will come back to you more than once.

It’s so good when there is a person who will understand and support. Unfortunately, the problem of food addiction is very difficult to understand and imagine if you don’t have it. If doctors currently have huge discrepancies in diagnosis and treatment, then what can we say about your family and friends. Of course, it is necessary to share this problem - this is already a very big step towards recovery. On the other hand, is it worth telling your family about food addiction knowing that they will not understand you? Find a friend in misfortune on the Internet? The idea is not bad, but there is a risk that the path of two food addicts will most likely go towards the progression of the disease. Find someone who claims to have recovered from food addiction? But where is the guarantee that a person is truly cured? It is quite possible that your friend in misfortune is in remission. In addition, after any illness, it is common for a person to forget about the course of the illness. Support during food addiction is certainly important, which is why group therapy is considered one of the most effective methods of treating bulimia and compulsive overeating. Under the guidance of an experienced specialist, a group with similar problems supports and helps to escape the captivity of eating disorders.

3 days without a breakdown.

Gradually reduce the number of disruptions. “Easy to say,” you answer. But why not try it if you are determined not to seek help from food addiction specialists. Start with 1 day without overeating and cleansing procedures: a week to prepare - every day you try to break down less and less, and so gradually reduce the number of breakdowns to a minimum. Naturally, everything doesn’t work out right away and you shouldn’t despair after the first failures.

The main difficulty is how you are going to reduce the number of disruptions. Again through willpower or another diet? Then this is just an excuse for a new series of breakdowns: anger, self-hatred, the desire during a breakdown to block feelings and emotions by absorbing huge amounts of food - the main way to strengthen an eating disorder.

Willpower and psychological help.

Weakness and promiscuity are most often mistakenly cited as causes of eating disorders. And a series of self-psychotherapy, exhausting diets and trips to the gym begins, followed by a breakdown, followed by a feeling of guilt and self-hatred. And all this is not a problem of weak will, this is a natural typical course of food addiction. It is difficult for a person with bulimia, anorexia and compulsive overeating to independently change his attitude towards the problem, to understand its structure and thus gradually eliminate the symptoms of the disease, to rebuild a system of intuitive eating - this is a difficult task that faces a psychologist specializing in eating disorders.

Treatment of bulimia with hypnosis.

Another type of "treatment". For many clients, hypnosis for bulimia does not help in some cases, and in others it has a short-term effect. Due to remission - a break in food addiction, bulimia returns in large, protracted breakdowns. According to the principle, half a day of hunger - half a day of failure, 3 days of a strict diet - 3 days of failure. The effect of hypnosis is like a band-aid on a wound, it can only temporarily solve the problem before applying more suitable means for healing.

I'm strong, I can handle this.

Of course this is true, but the problem of food addiction lies in the lack of understanding of its structure and principles, which are extremely difficult to comprehend. Why reinvent the wheel when there are time-tested methods for getting rid of bulimia, anorexia and compulsive overeating? Contact the Eating Disorders Clinic, we will help you adjust your actions to combat food addiction and completely get rid of it. All the Clinic’s specialists are former food addicts and know the problem firsthand.

Bulimia at the initial stage is characterized by uncontrolled food consumption and a feeling of constant hunger. A person who is already dependent on the disease suffers from chronic overeating without feeling full.

This leads to increased body weight, emotional shock and mental distress, against the background of which apathy and depression develop. The patient tries to find comfort in food, considering these actions to be the only correct ones in the current situation. The circle closes. The disease progresses to the last stage. This period is characterized by stable depressive disorders. Possibly obesity.

The full functioning of the gastric organs becomes one of the main physiological problems. The patient experiences pain in the liver area, difficulties with timely bowel movements or, conversely, with frequent bowel movements. The emotional background at the final stage of the disease is unstable. People suffering from bulimia develop complexes and phobias regarding their figure.

It is very difficult to free yourself from psychological addiction to food. And, if at the initial stages the disease is not perceived by a person as a problem requiring emergency intervention from specialists, then at the final stage of its development it becomes an obsession, and the patient frantically searches for ways to get rid of pathological gluttony.

Help from medical workers is not considered by patients. They find a way out in laxatives and vigorous activity (in rare cases, since a depressed state does not contribute to active physical activity). The most important method in the fight against increasing body volume, which was invented by people with such a mental disorder, is the act of artificially inducing vomiting.

Forced fasting becomes a symptom of the final stage of the disease. It can help normalize weight, but not stabilize mental disorders that force the patient to refuse to eat, even with the threat of another psychopathological disorder - anorexia. Some cases involve death, the root cause of which may be cardiac arrest. Suicide is also a fairly common occurrence in episodes of the disease, caused by uncontrolled outbursts during a period of mental instability of the patient.

Self-treatment

Bulimia is difficult to treat. Being primarily a psychological addiction, it requires the intervention of psychotherapy in the patient’s life. These may be antidepressants aimed at helping control appetite and suppressing the patient's emotional outbursts. To free yourself from an illness, you need a colossal desire and firm confidence in your own abilities. Therefore, accepting the problem is the first step towards freeing the mind from psychosomatic illness.

Family therapy is one of the key factors in solving the problem. Factors involving family and close circle have a complex influence and slow down the destructive processes of further development of pathologies in the mental activity of a person dependent on such an illness.

During periods of recovery, many specialists also resort to group therapy.

Collaborating with patients allows them to share personal experiences for treatment purposes and share with each other methods for successfully overcoming their addiction. All this should be carried out under the supervision of an experienced specialist in the field of psychology.

Diet changes

It is possible to treat bulimia on your own only if you follow professional recommendations.

1. The daily diet should include a number of polyunsaturated fatty acids, the increased concentration of which is contained in vegetable oils and legumes. The presence of fish (cod, salmon and tuna) is necessary for the effectiveness of the diet used. It is also rich in essential fats for the body.
2. It is recommended to reduce the consumption of foods that contain sucrose. They whet the appetite due to the insulin they contain, which again can lead to overeating.
3. Bulimia can also be treated with a multivitamin complex. For example, zinc deficiency negatively affects the functioning of internal organs, and the required amount of this element in the human body affects the feeling of fullness and reduces appetite.
4. Bulimia is a disease that affects mental activity, which, in turn, is responsible for the general condition and mood of the patient. That is why the use of therapeutic and health procedures is so important. Physical exercise and walks in the fresh air will help you shape your figure and increase your vitality.
5. To satisfy the feeling of hunger, you should include in your diet such high-calorie dishes as porridge (wheat, rice, oatmeal) and foods rich in fiber. For example, dried fruits.
6. For a successful outcome of treatment, the patient needs to change his attitude towards food. During the eating process, all attention should be directed to the aesthetic side of this action. Doctors strictly prohibit eating in front of the TV or reading a book. External factors should not distract the patient from meals.
7. Using a schedule in the diet is another part of success if the patient has decided to cope with the disease on his own. The volume of servings from breakfast to dinner should be in equal quantities, as well as the time intervals between meals.

Psycho-emotional methods

1. First of all, you need to identify life goals and methods that will be used in the process of their formation. Eating difficulties can provoke a habit in a person in the future, even with the slightest stress, to turn to this method in order to drown out emotional outbursts. The patient must independently recognize his problem and change his worldview so as not to return to the original symptoms.
2. Eliminate from your life a negative assessment of what is happening around you. A positive attitude and active development of your life position is another effective method approved by psychologists.
3. The importance of family therapy should always be remembered. Close people have a significant influence on life and the formation of priorities. Their support is important and irreplaceable, so you should not break them during treatment.
4. Bulimia is a disease, one of the basis of which is body dysmorphomania, a violation of adequate perception of one’s body. Physical defects (which may be imaginary) come to the fore, and the patient begins to show aggression towards himself. To treat these symptoms effectively, a person needs to love himself and his body. Our body is a complex organism in which millions of processes occur simultaneously, and learning to hear it means existing harmoniously and holistically in the world, without returning to problems associated with digestive activity.
5. Supporting people who have coped with an illness or are in the process of recovery helps to understand the absence of loneliness in the patient’s life. Knowing that there are people nearby with similar problems has the desired therapeutic effect and helps you recover from bulimia on your own.

Physical measures

1. You can make a list of actions that can help restore your health. This may include drawing up a nutrition schedule, choosing a menu in accordance with doctors’ recommendations, and the amount of food for one day. It is important to strictly follow your recommendations and adhere to the regime. Soon the body will adapt to such conditions and it will become a habit. The volume of food and the frequency of its consumption will be reduced, and bulimia will cease to be a problem.
2. You need to find an alternative to food and use the time previously allocated for eating in a different way. Places of cultural recreation, walks in the park, a swimming pool and a cinema can be a worthy replacement and diversify life.
3. Avoiding snacking is an important rule to follow in the fight against bulimia.
4. Moderate physical activity, jogging in the morning or exercise will be effective additions to all of the above measures. To avoid injury due to long periods of inactivity, it is necessary to increase the load gradually.

ethnoscience

You can treat bulimia yourself using alternative medicine. The properties of many plant-based foods stimulate the body's metabolism, which helps burn fat and calories. These products include:

• pumpkin juice - in any dosage;
• You can drink half a glass of cucumber juice a day after meals;
• freshly squeezed tomato juice - in the morning, before meals, half a glass;
• if possible and the time of year allows, then a glass of natural birch sap daily for a month;
• It is advisable to consume white cabbage juice freshly squeezed and on an empty stomach for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The disease responds well to treatment with medicinal plants. The impact of such drugs is aimed at the functioning of physiological functions in the body, the activation of which helps to gently regulate unpleasant sensations when eating. The following traditional medicines can be used:

• marshmallow root and flax seed reduce appetite;
• cumin seeds, senna leaf and buckthorn bark are effective for constipation;
• horsetail grass, dill seeds and lingonberry leaves have diuretic effects;
• immortelle grass, dandelion flowers, corn silk - increase bile secretion;
• tincture of valerian, motherwort, angelica - have a beneficial effect on the nervous system.

The highest priority way to overcome a disease such as bulimia will always be timely contact with experts in psychology and in the field of eating pathologies. Their qualified advice and assistance will help restore your mental state and regain lost health.

Bulimia is a mental disorder associated with food intake, which is characterized by a sharp increase in appetite, beginning in the form of paroxysmal, painful hunger. This disease often affects young women, whose psyche is most susceptible to influence. Patients do not have willpower and are not able to control the amount of food they eat.

Causes of the disease

The disease is provoked by certain diseases of the central nervous or endocrine system, and mental disorders.

Bulimia and its causes: heredity, lifestyle, low self-esteem, psychological disorders, impulsivity, personal problems, lack of serotonin, “eating” problems, long-term diets that lead to eating disorders; desire for perfectionism, active sports; public order for slimness as a standard; , imbalance of electrolytes (salts and minerals), obsessive thoughts and actions, increased anxiety.

Symptoms of bulimia

There are two types of disease. The first type is the classic and the second type is the stage of anorexia.

The first type is marked by vomiting, abuse of diuretics, laxatives, and enemas.

The second type of bulimia is characterized by compensatory behavior. The patient fasts, actively engages in sports, does not abuse enemas, laxatives, diuretics, and does not induce vomiting.

This disease is characterized by constant, prolonged, very painful attacks of hunger and the inability to stop in front of a huge amount of food. Patients choose beautiful, large, fatty pieces of food for their meals, and they are very fond of sweets. After a meal, they try to get rid of food artificially as quickly as possible, inducing vomiting. Diuretics and enemas are often used.

Symptoms of the disease include general weakness, pain in the epigastric region, and increased ravenous appetite.

Disturbed eating behavior has its own pattern, which is characterized by a sudden attack-like appetite, leading to the absorption of large amounts of food, or the presence of constant hunger with a desire to consume food at night.

Bulimia and its symptoms: dehydration; injuries on the fingers, which the patient uses to provoke vomiting; inflammation of the esophagus; muscle twitching and involuntary spasms; diarrhea, dysbacteriosis, internal bleeding, exacerbations in the liver and kidneys, menstrual irregularities, neurasthenic diseases, heart disease.

The patient has increased anxiety, he is visited by obsessive actions and thoughts, there is damaged tooth enamel and a problem with the gums, there is dehydration of the body, inflammation of the esophagus, involuntary spasms, muscle twitching, diarrhea, dysbacteriosis, internal bleeding, exacerbations in the functioning of the liver and kidneys are observed, There are menstrual irregularities, heart disease, and neurasthenic manifestations.

There are only a few people who are satisfied with their appearance and not everyone can come to terms with it. In pursuit of an ideal figure or after relieving nervous tension, people fall into the trap of bulimia. How does this happen? After starvation or nervous overstrain, a person pounces on food, without the willpower to stop. For this reason, people become addicted to bulimia nervosa. Personalities who suffered from bulimia nervosa include Princess Diana, the famous fashion model Twiggy, Ernest Hemingway's granddaughter Margot Louise, fashion model Kate Moss, Elvis Presley, aerobics presenter and actress Jane Fonda.

The causes of bulimia nervosa lie in a constant state of stress, in a person’s vulnerability and uncertainty, as well as in loneliness and constraint by various conventions. That is why the very process of eating food brings joy and satisfaction to a person.

Anorexia and bulimia

Bulimia and anorexia are both contradictory and essentially the same diseases. Let's understand their essence.

Bulimia is nervous gluttony, followed by emptying the stomach in order not to gain weight, and anorexia is a voluntary refusal of food to lose weight. Patients with bulimia are worried about remorse, doubt, and loss of control over what is happening. The behavior itself is very similar to the behavior of anorexic people. What distinguishes them from patients with anorexia is the ability to hide their disease for a long time, as well as maintain their weight within normal limits.

There are mixed syndromes in which anorexia can evolve into bulimia and vice versa. One of the causes of the diseases anorexia and bulimia is numerous diets. Therefore, before you go on a diet or fall under the influence of other people’s opinions or stereotypes, think about your health. This is especially true for young people, when at the stage of formation as individuals, external standards are perceived, and not a person’s spirituality.

What does this mean? For some time you will achieve the desired standard, but over time there will be a conflict with yourself at the mental level, and you will no longer respect yourself, you will want to return to your previously familiar way of life, but you will not be able to do this. If you are already under the control of these ailments, then I would like to recommend that you stop hiding your condition and turn to specialists. First of all, see a psychotherapist or psychiatrist. These ailments pose a great health hazard, which is preceded by a personality disorder with loss of the usual way of life. If you think that your problem will not be known, then you are deeply mistaken. It’s impossible to hide something like this for long.

Treatment for bulimia

It is very difficult to cope with your problem alone. How to get rid of bulimia on your own? To do this, it will be necessary to make a strong-willed effort and finally make a decision for yourself about the need to get out of this state. Next, forget about all kinds of diets. Yes, there will be a slight weight gain, but that's the only thing you have to put up with. Your goal is to eat balanced meals in small portions without waiting for hunger pangs. In no case should there be a feeling of heaviness in the stomach, so that there is no desire to vomit food. From the moment you decide to cure your illness, refuse to attend birthday parties and other feasts until you recover.

Psychotherapy sessions, antidepressants, sedatives and the patience of relatives are effective in treatment.

Treatment for bulimia involves a complex set of actions aimed at restoring disordered eating. The occurrence of bulimia is influenced by the impact of unfavorable factors, which in turn provoke the appearance of emotional detachment, tension, anxiety, experiences due to traumatic circumstances, the occurrence of self-dissatisfaction, depression, and personal depersonalization. Due to these reasons, it is necessary to allow the body to fully rest and abandon all types of diets and overeating.

Psychological treatment of the disease includes psychotherapy, which is responsible for restructuring the body’s functioning in relation to the process of eating food. Consultation with a nutritionist is necessary for treatment.

How to cure bulimia? Therapy methods are aimed at eliminating the true causes of the disease. Often, women susceptible to the disease successfully hide their passion for food, secretly wanting to get rid of this problem. It seems to patients that the whole world has turned its back on them, and they receive nothing in return. Patients eat up this injustice. Athletes chasing high results, as well as people involved in show business, modeling, dancing, and ballet are often at risk.

Bulimia attacks progress after personal quarrels, conflicts, failures, arguments, overwhelming depression, and disappointments. Primary forms of bulimia are marked by psychological discomfort. The patient severely criticizes and also negatively evaluates his actions, feeling guilty for overeating. Complete recovery includes the need to accept and let go of the problem of the disease. Tell yourself stop! Change your life schedule, diet, and stop catering to public opinion. You live once and you need to live your own life interestingly. A strong person lives for himself, and not for anyone.

Treatment for bulimia involves creating a personalized eating pattern based on moderation, personality and getting a buzz.
Food is a pleasure, a necessary energy that is very important to plan.

Drug treatment for bulimia includes antidepressants such as fluoxetine. The antidepressant effect of Fluoxetine is combined with a stimulating one. The patient's mood improves, tension is relieved, anxiety, dysphoria and feelings of fear go away. The therapeutic effect of the drug is noticeable four weeks after the start of therapy. The daily dose is 60 mg in three doses. For older people, it is recommended to reduce the daily dose. For those suffering from anorexia, as well as those with liver and kidney failure, the daily intake of Fluoxetine is reduced to 10 mg.

In the most aggravating circumstances of the disorder, it is necessary to contact a psychiatrist and, if necessary, the patient is hospitalized. The patient is placed in a clinic where special rehabilitation programs are used.

The prognosis for bulimia with timely treatment is favorable. The doctor will prescribe an appropriate examination and also examine the medical history. The patient will be given diet therapy and advice on lifestyle changes will be recommended. Most patients benefit from group psychotherapy. When experiencing a feeling of shame, patients feel much better when they know that they are not alone in their behavior.

Sometimes doctors use hypnosis or teach the patient the technique of self-hypnosis. The purpose of the method is to help control the desire to eat food unlimitedly. After bulimia, preventive measures include a healthy, adequate, psychological environment in the family, as well as emotional support for the patient.

Consequences of the disease

The main consequence of bulimia is obesity. Bulimia and obesity are very interrelated diseases. If this disorder is not treated, it can lead to obesity. Obesity is manifested in excess deposition of adipose tissue in the human body due to constant overeating. The disease tends to progress chronically, which leads to various ailments, subsequently requiring lifelong treatment.

Often, the problem of the sick remains at a personal level, and treatment is reduced to self-medication, which poses a health hazard. Competent and effective treatment of bulimia and obesity is carried out under the guidance of doctors. Specialists can help the patient achieve the desired weight and then keep it at normal levels. Currently, doctors classify obesity as a chronic metabolic disease, and the main cause of obesity is considered bulimia, which leads to disruption of the brain responsible for appetite.

The consequences of bulimia are not only extra pounds, but also problems with the gums, tooth enamel, esophagus, intestines, heart, as well as problems with the liver and kidneys. Consequences may also include neurasthenia, drug addiction, loss of interest in life, destruction of relationships with loved ones and possible death.