by Rob Hadley

Created on: February 02, 2010

To best understand bulimia one has to let go of some of the orthodox ideas about eating disorders, and illness generally. The first thing to keep in mind is that the bingeing and purging are only symptoms of a much more deeply embedded disease.

Controlling the binge/purge cycle is important, but any treatment that focuses purely on this aspect is fundamentally flawed and shows a lack of understanding of the disease.  Instead we have to recognize a deeper illness, often with many other symptoms including depression, anxiety, other addictive behavior and often physical effects apparently unrelated to bulimia. These may include skin problems, menstrual irregularity, or insomnia. Overall, the binge/purge cycle is an indicator but little more, of a far more invasive chronic condition. 

The continuing suppression of these symptoms does nothing to cure the deeper disease. Instead, the illness looks for other mechanisms of expression. If, for example, a sufferer attempts to  cure the insomnia with sleeping pills it may reduce briefly, but may later return more vehemently. More likely another apparently unrelated symptom may occur, such as a skin condition or digestive issues. The suppression of symptoms often simply forces the underlying condition into new and more damaging means of expression. As a result, some clients begin to feel they are ‘always ill’. In reality, the same illness is expressing itself in many different ways.

So what are the best forms of treatment?

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy has shown consistently effective results, though you do need to find a therapist that has experience of working with bulimics. You should ask what the treatment plan would look like. If they reply, "what's a treatment plan?", then hang up the phone and keep looking. Some hypnotherapy is based on metaphysical ideas, rather than medical and technical ideas. You want a treatment plan that focuses on the reduction of anxiety, moderation of eating practices and increases physical activty - at the very least. If you are unable to find this, then use http://www.bulimiagirls.com. The downloadable therapies are very effective and will help. Typically you would see a hypnotherapist about four or five times.

Psychotherapy

A psychotherapist can help you understand the source of the anxiety, and can help you deconstruct some of the cuases of the issue. You will still have to motivate yourself into physical activity, but psychotherapy can help, if no hypnotherapist

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