There are more than six million people in the United States alone who struggle with bulimia. If you’re dealing with this condition, then it’ll be important for you to seek professional assistance as you work to overcome it.
In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about bulimia treatment and how to find it. Keep reading to learn more.
What is bulimia, exactly?
Bulimia is a medical condition that involves binging, which is then followed up by methods to avoid weight gain, like:
- Purging (making yourself vomit)
- Excessive exercising
- Fasting for long periods of time
- Using laxatives to prevent weight gain
Bulimia is a serious condition that can have a ton of negative effects on your health. Some of its side effects can even be life-threatening, so you definitely want to be proactive about resolving this condition if you think you might have it.
How do I know if I have bulimia?
Bulimia is a two-step eating disorder. In order to have it, you need to meet the criteria of each step.
First, you have to eat large amounts of food in one sitting. This is a behavior that’s usually called bingeing.
Second, you need to take extreme measures to prevent yourself from gaining weight after binge episodes. This is called purging. The most common form of it is making yourself throw up.
If you have both of these symptoms, then you likely have bulimia. If you only have one of them, then you may have another eating disorder that requires treatment. But bulimia might not be your diagnosis.
What’s the treatment for bulimia like?
Treatment for bulimia typically centers around therapy. You and a therapist will work together to figure out what’s caused your bulimia in the first place. You’ll also get the chance to talk with them about how this condition has impacted your life, which should help you process some of the emotions associated with it.
Next, your therapist will help you come up with a plan to overcome your bulimia. You’ll work together to identify concrete steps that you can take and they’ll guide you as you work through them.
Sometimes, people with bulimia get prescribed medications like SSRIs as well. These may or may not be used in your treatment plan. It’ll depend on what your therapist thinks and how you feel about medication.
Zoe Behavioral Health can help you get started with personalized bulimia treatment
Bulimia is a serious condition that can threaten your life if left unchecked. If you believe that you might have it, then now is the right time to take action and begin looking for professional assistance.
Zoe Behavioral Health can provide you with the help that you need to recover. Just reach out to one of our mental health specialists to learn more about what we can do to help you beat this condition.
We’d love to work with you and hope to hear from you soon. Get in touch with us today to learn more
