You are here: Find a Doctor Home » How to Help Someone Who Suffers From Bulimia

How to Help Someone Who Suffers From Bulimia
Posted Date: 6/26/2009 Blog by: poost
Viewed: 138
  
Category: Mental Health Disorders » Eating Disorders
  • Bulimia nervosa also known as Bulimia to all is an eating disorder where a person binges and then purges out all that he/she has eaten. This syndrome is also rightly known as the binge and purge. A bulimic overeats and then vomits out everything they eat to burn the food eaten or even by excessive exercising or using laxatives. It is alarming to know that 90% of the people who suffer from bulimia are women.
  • Fundamentally different from anorexia nervosa, bulimics cannot be identified easily as the patients do not look famished; they may look normal or may be over weight also. People do not experience bulimia frequently. It may vary from people to people; some people may purge everyday after every meal and some people experience irregular purging bouts every few months.
  • People who are victims of bulimia lose control over themselves when they binge after eating. They tend to eat much more than they would normally eat to satiate their hunger. After eating so much bulimics feel shameful and guilty about eating so much.
  • Though the actual cause for bulimia is not known and understood properly, but bulimia victims have similar characteristics of low self respect, guilt feeling and discontentment with the way they look.
  • If you have friends or relative who suffer from bulimia it is important to know what this syndrome is all about. Handling a bulimic and helping them come out of this syndrome is only possible when you have complete knowledge on what you are handling. There are many support groups that dedicate themselves to help all those people who suffer from this disorder.
  • Consult support groups to understand this problem further.  Try and accompany your friend or relative who have agreed to go through the treatment as it can be mentally very stressful for them to go through this alone. Offer to attend talks that support groups have for people who suffer from eating disorders with your relative or friend.
  • Help bulimic patients in preparing their food as they may have tendencies to indulge in bad eating habits. Never allow them to be alone in a room or bathroom for long durations as they have to deal with depression and low self esteem.
  • Try counseling and talking to a bulimic patient about the pitfalls of this syndrome and the effect that it has on their lives. They may listen to you as you are their friend and not a professional counselor with whom they may be intimidated. You can seek help from books and sites that talk about bulimia and the ways to handle bulimia patients.
  • While talking to them make them feel wanted and cared for as they have this constant discontent with their body and shape and extremely low esteem about themselves. So it is important to try building their self esteem at the same time appreciate what they are gifted with and not take out faults in themselves. This will encourage them to have a positive attitude towards themselves and their lives. They will eventually learn to appreciate what they have and not get depressed at their own sight.
  • Known to be a psychological disorder, try not to put pressure on them when you are trying to help them out.
  • Give an ear to people who want to open up with their secrets about bulimia. Listening will help the person to have faith on you. Do try not to give opinions while they are talking.
  • Understanding the psychological aspect of the disease goes a long way in helping the patient. Once you understand that it more of a psychological problem, you can take steps to fix it with the help that is available all around you.

Post your comment
* Your Name
* Your Email
I have read and agree to abide by the Terms and Conditions

Related Blogs on How to Help Someone Who Suffers From Bulimia

Kam poostBehavioral Factors of Anorexia Nervosa
By: Kam poost
Mental Health Disorders » Eating Disorders
Some of the most common Behavioral factors highlighted in anorexia nervosa are lack of hunger, lack of self esteem, heavy self obsession and a tendency to keep talking about onese...
137 Viewed | 0 Comment(s) | Read more
Kam poostBinge Eating and Genetics
By: Kam poost
Mental Health Disorders » Eating Disorders
Binge eaters might suffer from this because they have some severe genetic disorders that make them the best targets for binge eating. If they do not get up and go get professional...
152 Viewed | 0 Comment(s) | Read more
Kam poostEmotional and Physical signs of Bing Eating
By: Kam poost
Mental Health Disorders » Eating Disorders
Emotional and physical of binge eating include a series of behavior and metal factors that can be easily identified if you know what to look for. Most binge eaters are aware somew...
153 Viewed | 0 Comment(s) | Read more
Kam poostEmotional and Physically Signs of Bulimia
By: Kam poost
Mental Health Disorders » Eating Disorders
Bulimia is dangerous. Look out for these emotional and physical signs of bulimia and get help for your loved one as soon you detect these. You shouldn’t waste a single day once yo...
169 Viewed | 0 Comment(s) | Read more
Kam poostEmotional Factors for Anorexia Nervosa
By: Kam poost
Mental Health Disorders » Eating Disorders
There are a number of emotional factors of anorexia nervosa such as lack of confidence in body appearance, difficult relationships, obsession with looking good etc, which causes a...
160 Viewed | 0 Comment(s) | Read more
Kam poostHow to help someone who suffers from Binge eating
By: Kam poost
Mental Health Disorders » Eating Disorders
Binge eating is not a condition easy to cure, as it is based on hunger triggered by emotions and not by physical reactions. Hunger is not the most important factor that causes eat...
152 Viewed | 0 Comment(s) | Read more
Kam poostHow to Help Someone With Anorexia Nervosa
By: Kam poost
Mental Health Disorders » Eating Disorders
Contrary to popular belief you can help someone with anorexia nervosa. To begin with, encourage him to seek medical help and then try to be understanding and patient with him.
171 Viewed | 0 Comment(s) | Read more
Kam poostPhysical and Emotional Signs of Anorexia Nervosa
By: Kam poost
Mental Health Disorders » Eating Disorders
Physical signs and emotional signs of Anorexia Nervosa include all kinds of physical and emotions symptoms starting from thin appearance to refusal to eat, that shows a persons ob...
167 Viewed | 0 Comment(s) | Read more
Kam poostPreventing Bulimia
By: Kam poost
Mental Health Disorders » Eating Disorders
Bulimia can be prevented and treated too. Follow these tips for prevention of bulimia and take steps before the disease overpowers you.
133 Viewed | 0 Comment(s) | Read more
Kam poostSigns of Binge Eating
By: Kam poost
Mental Health Disorders » Eating Disorders
Amongst the most common signs that you are binge eating we can count the fact that you eat without knowing it, that you don’t care what you eat and that eating only stops after lo...
144 Viewed | 0 Comment(s) | Read more
Kam poostSigns That Someone May be Bulimic
By: Kam poost
Mental Health Disorders » Eating Disorders
It is necessary for a lay man also to know the sign and symptoms of bulimia so that they can take adequate measures without wasting any more time.
140 Viewed | 0 Comment(s) | Read more
Font Size A+ A+ A+

Tools

Email This Page to a FriendEmail This Page to a Friend

Doctors Only

Create a BlogCreate a Blog
Create a GroupCreate a Group
Create a Picture GalleryCreate a Picture Gallery
Add a VideoUpload a Video
My Message BoxMy Messages
Doctor`s Profile - LoginDoctor`s Profile - Login
Doctor`s ProfileSetup My Offices

Not a Member? Subscribe

Social Bookmarking

Add to: Del.icoi.usAdd to: RedditAdd to: DiggAdd to: Mr. WongAdd to: BlogmarksAdd to: GoogleAdd to: Blinklist
Add to: YahooAdd to: FolkdAdd to: StumbleUponAdd to: SlashdotAdd to: FurlAdd to: SimpyAdd to: Netscape
Add to: DiigoAdd to: TechnoratiAdd to: Ma.GnoliaAdd to: SmarkingAdd to: NetvouzAdd to: BlinkbitsAdd to: Spurl
Add to: NewsvineAdd to: WebnewsAdd to: linkarenaAdd to: YiggAdd to: OneviewAdd to: Icio 
What is Social Bookmarking?

Signup for free newsletter