Bulimia Nervosa

BULIMIA NERVOSA (BN)

The hallmarks of BN are binge eating and purging. A binge involves eating a lot of food over a short time in a way that feels out of control. Purging can include throwing up on purpose, over exercising or laxative abuse. Given the impact this disorder can have on the body, getting medical and therapeutic treatment for Bulimia is crucial.

This disorder is diagnosed when bingeing and purging are repeated regularly over a period of time and cause distress and impairment in an individual’s life. That being said, if someone binges and purges and has a very low Body Mass Index (BMI), they might meet criteria for Anorexia.

TREATMENT FOR BULIMIA

Intuitive Eating and CBT-E are evidence-based treatments that support recovery from BN. There is a great deal of overlap between these therapies. Both treatments focus on eating before getting too hungry, given that people are more prone to binge when they have been restricting.

Each approach also points out the problems with placing an extreme emphasis on weight and shape. Those with BN place more importance on the way they look than on their health, relationships and goals. This is true even when they don’t believe that the way they look should be the priority. Both CBT-E and Intuitive Eating help people to consider what matters most to them so that they can work to embody their values. Each treatment hones in on thinking that leads to dietary restraint and poor self image. By looking at faulty thinking patterns, people learn to treat their thoughts as thoughts, not facts.

If you’d like to learn more about Intuitive Eating and how we approach the treatment of BN, click here. If you’d like to explore CBT-E and this method of treatment, click here.