Q. I have been bulimic for 6 years. I was just in rehab for it and now I have relapsed. How do I FULLY recover from this and not have to urge to purge?
A. Personally, I don't think that rehab or inpatient facilities really treat underlying problems of eating disorders. I was bulimic in high school and anorexic as well. I am fully recovered now. Here is some advice that helped me out:
*Get rid of all of your friends who contribute to your disorder (friends who support AND friends who are strongly against your behaviors - they will just piss you off and make you want to proove something)
*Change your scenery - spend time in different places, out of the ordinary
*Join a support group - the people in the group can understand things that friends and family cannot
*Control your binges - I went through a stage after throwing up on a daily basis in which I ate healthy and did not overeat during the week, but I allowed myself to binge (and I mean BINGE) on weekends. This allowed me to maintain my weight (and even lose some) without throwing up. This is not a healthy thing to do either, but it was a stepping stone. Eventually I cut down my weekend binges because they made me feel so bad about myself. That was really the only thing that helped me get over throwing up and being anorexic.
Hope this helps. Hang in there, you'll get over it eventually. Remember that you will always struggle with the feelings of eating disorders, but you can learn to control it with practice and patience.
*Get rid of all of your friends who contribute to your disorder (friends who support AND friends who are strongly against your behaviors - they will just piss you off and make you want to proove something)
*Change your scenery - spend time in different places, out of the ordinary
*Join a support group - the people in the group can understand things that friends and family cannot
*Control your binges - I went through a stage after throwing up on a daily basis in which I ate healthy and did not overeat during the week, but I allowed myself to binge (and I mean BINGE) on weekends. This allowed me to maintain my weight (and even lose some) without throwing up. This is not a healthy thing to do either, but it was a stepping stone. Eventually I cut down my weekend binges because they made me feel so bad about myself. That was really the only thing that helped me get over throwing up and being anorexic.
Hope this helps. Hang in there, you'll get over it eventually. Remember that you will always struggle with the feelings of eating disorders, but you can learn to control it with practice and patience.
Is it possible to have a disorder similar to bulimia that applies to other things besides food?
Q. I think I have a disorder that is like bulimia but doesn't involve eating.
The same habits are present, binging and purging, feeling out of control.
For example, I will spend lots of money one week and then when I feel out of control I will be extremely frugal and then when i feel back in control I do things to lose that feeling.
This also applies to organization. I will obsessively clean and become very organized, only to gradually become more and more messy and out of control with clutter until I feel completely out of control and then I will continue the cycle.
What does this sound like? Bipolar? I'm planning on seeing a doctor but I wanted to see if anyone could take a guess on what this might be.
The same habits are present, binging and purging, feeling out of control.
For example, I will spend lots of money one week and then when I feel out of control I will be extremely frugal and then when i feel back in control I do things to lose that feeling.
This also applies to organization. I will obsessively clean and become very organized, only to gradually become more and more messy and out of control with clutter until I feel completely out of control and then I will continue the cycle.
What does this sound like? Bipolar? I'm planning on seeing a doctor but I wanted to see if anyone could take a guess on what this might be.
A. OCD, I think, is a bit more consistent -- people are obsessive and do not experience a cycle of getting "messy" such as you do, they are constantly fastidious and have trouble functioning because of their obsessive focus on keeping things organized and under control.
The sort of obsession you are describing is more like what we commonly call "addictive" behaviors -- where someone basically has a tight rein of a particular behavior, but eventually control slips, the person splurges (whether it's food, or money, or sex, or the substance in question, or TV/Movies/Videogames, or whatever), and afterwards they feel so guilty that they become immediately obsessive again and try very hard not to "do it again."
They will purge themselves sometimes, in order to reduce temptation, but eventually they'll get tired or the urge will build up, and then they'll continue the binge-purge-binge-purge cycle.
Sometimes this can be a medical condition; sometimes it can be the product of one's past experiences and involves feelings of guilt that one cannot overcome or perhaps denial of one's actual desires.
Basically, all the attempts to control the behavior is what results in such a relapse later; you're trying so hard to NOT do it that eventually you will. A healthy person acknowledges the temptation but does not obsess about it or try so hard to avoid it.
I think, if you describe your experience to a therapist, they will be equipped to work through it with you and decide on the best course of action; what you experience is not a rare or odd thing.
I know it's frustrating to feel trapped in such a terrible cycle, and I encourage you to get the opinion and help of someone who has been trained to help, so that you can feel in control of your life again and enjoy it without having to worry so much about losing control of things.
The sort of obsession you are describing is more like what we commonly call "addictive" behaviors -- where someone basically has a tight rein of a particular behavior, but eventually control slips, the person splurges (whether it's food, or money, or sex, or the substance in question, or TV/Movies/Videogames, or whatever), and afterwards they feel so guilty that they become immediately obsessive again and try very hard not to "do it again."
They will purge themselves sometimes, in order to reduce temptation, but eventually they'll get tired or the urge will build up, and then they'll continue the binge-purge-binge-purge cycle.
Sometimes this can be a medical condition; sometimes it can be the product of one's past experiences and involves feelings of guilt that one cannot overcome or perhaps denial of one's actual desires.
Basically, all the attempts to control the behavior is what results in such a relapse later; you're trying so hard to NOT do it that eventually you will. A healthy person acknowledges the temptation but does not obsess about it or try so hard to avoid it.
I think, if you describe your experience to a therapist, they will be equipped to work through it with you and decide on the best course of action; what you experience is not a rare or odd thing.
I know it's frustrating to feel trapped in such a terrible cycle, and I encourage you to get the opinion and help of someone who has been trained to help, so that you can feel in control of your life again and enjoy it without having to worry so much about losing control of things.
How harmful is a one day eating binge?
Q. I have a very healthy lifestyle, but about once a month i totally relapse and binge. Will this make me gain weight or be harmful in any way or should I stop worrying and just get back on track tomorrow?
A. Actually, it's good for you....in more ways than one. Not only is it good emotionally, but it also mixes things up for your metabolism and makes it work harder. So don't ever worry about it. You deserve a break once in a while.
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