Bulimia Treatment & Clinics, Side Effects of Bulimia - The Priory Group
What is bulimia?
Bulimia is an eating disorder characterised by binge-eating (sometimes eating three or four times a normal amount), followed by making yourself sick or taking laxatives to try to avoid putting on weight.
What causes bulimia?
Although bulimia is on the increase, we know little about what causes it. What we do know is that problems start when food is used to control feelings. After bingeing you may feel some short-term emotional relief, but the feelings and distress often return. Bulimia treatment helps to bring longer-lasting relief and a solution to your feelings.
Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, loneliness, and the emotional distress caused by events such as a death, starting work or sexual abuse can contribute to bulimia. Research also suggests that your genes and your family's attitude towards food can make you more likely to suffer from bulimia.
Who gets bulimia?
Anyone can suffer from bulimia, at any age, but it's most common in young women between the ages of 15 and 25.
What are the symptoms of bulimia?
Not everyone will show the same symptoms, but the most common are:
• binge-eating followed by making yourself sick or taking laxatives;
• an obsession with food and calories;
• going to the toilet straight after meals to make yourself sick;
• an overwhelming feeling of guilt after binge-eating; and
• depression, and using drugs and alcohol to cope.
Your close family or friends may not notice these symptoms, and because you don't dramatically lose weight, other people may assume you are feeling well and happy.
How often will I binge?
How often you binge will vary. It could be every few months, every few weeks or several times a day.
What are the long-term physical side effects?
The physical side effects of bulimia, due to continuous bingeing, vomiting and taking laxatives can include:
• fainting;
• choking;
• problems with vital internal organs due to lack of essential minerals;
• a ruptured stomach;
• bowel problems from laxative abuse;
• tooth enamel wearing away;
• a painful throat and damaged vocal chords;
• swollen cheeks; and
• in severe cases, epileptic fits or death through heart failure.
You may have had bulimia for several years and see it as part of your everyday life, but the sooner it's treated the less damage it will do to your body. A person suffering from bulimia risks developing long term side effects the longer it is left untreated.
How does bulimia affect your family life?
Bulimia affects the whole family. Loved ones often find it hard to understand that an eating disorder is actually about feelings and coping, rather than food. This can lead to misunderstandings and arguments, particularly at meal times. The potential physical side effects of bulimia are also likely to be a major concern for family members.
Can I recover from bulimia?
You can recover from bulimia and go on to live a full life, even after many years with the illness. You may feel unsure about getting help, but most people experiencing success in overcoming bulimia within a few months with the right professional bulimia treatment.
How is bulimia treated?
Bulimia needs specialist help to treat both the psychological causes and its physical side effects.
Contacting your GP is the easiest way to get help and further treatment. He or she may offer you counselling or dietary counselling, or refer you to a specialist for further assessment. This may lead to outpatient treatment or, if more serious, day or inpatient treatment.
If you're worried about talking to your GP, you can:
• consider writing down your concerns and questions;
• take a friend or family member with you;
• see another doctor in the practice; or
• join a new GP practice.
The type of professional support offered will depend upon the availability of services in your area and the arrangements that your primary care trust (PCT) has with other health authorities or private providers. Specialist treatment for eating disorders is also available privately through the Priory Group.
Family and friends can also help through their support and care. It is particularly helpful for relatives to understand that your eating problem is your way of coping with emotional difficulties and that you may have mixed feelings about changing your eating pattern.
Therapies used to treat bulimia include cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), dietary counselling, psychotherapy and family therapy. CBT has become more popular over the past few years and can reduce symptoms by identifying, challenging and changing the thinking patterns and beliefs that create negative feelings and eating-disorder behaviour such as bingeing and vomiting.
Why use antidepressant medication?
Depression is common in people suffering from bulimia. Antidepressant medication helps treat the depression and can help reduce how often you binge.
Why use family therapy?
Most families benefit from family help aimed at supporting and managing any difficult relationships.
Self help
Self help may be useful as the first stage of treatment or alongside other treatments. There are many different types of self help publications, and you need to find the right one for you. The Eating Disorders Association has a list of self help publications, and many of them are available from the EDA bookshop.
Self help groups can be a useful support but they do not replace professional treatment. However, they can help sufferers and families understand that they are not alone, and offer valuable support and practical advice.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for treating eating disorders are the basis for good treatment in England and Wales (www.nice.org.uk). NICE also publish information for patients and their carers. At the moment there are no equivalent guidelines for treatment in Northern Ireland or Scotland.
Finding help
If you feel that you or a close relative are affected by bulimia and would like help or more information, you can speak to your GP or contact any of the following organisations:
Eating Disorders Association
0845 634 1414 (www.edauk.com) Email address: helpmail@edauk.com
NHS Direct (England and Wales)
0845 4647 (www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk)
NHS 24 (Scotland)
08454 242424 (www.nhs24.com)
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
0207 067 5800 (www.nice.org.uk)
Priory
0845 4 774 679 (www.priorygroup.com)
If you suspect you've got a problem with eating, call 0845 4 774 679 to find out how Priory can help. Lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are interested in receiving treatment from us, your GP will be able to refer you.
If you or your relative have private medical insurance, your insurer will probably insist that your GP refers you to us.
Why should I choose Priory?
Our service
At Priory, our committed and professional staff provide the highest standards of care, understanding and service for everyone. This service brings hope and confidence, allowing our patients to take control of their lives within a safe and secure environment.
Expertise and innovation
As Europe's leading independent provider of specialist mental health, neuro-rehabilitation and special education services, we bring experience and an excellent reputation. Through our close links with the public and private sectors, we've developed the expertise and innovation to offer consistent and successful treatment.
We admit patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
More information on Priory eating disorder services.
Specialist Priory eating disorder units
Treatment for adults over 18 years old
Treatment for children under 18 years old
This document has been edited by Dr Alex Yellowlees, with the help of the Eating Disorders Association (www.edauk.com) and Plain English Campaign (www.plainenglish.co.uk)
Please click here to download our Bulimia self-help leaflet