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Question: How to break free of the bulimic mindset?

(Posted by: Andee Vann on 2009-10-24 19:13:06)

Bulimia has been as issue I've been dealing with for a long time now, though the past year has been a progression in a positive direction. I've seen doctors, I've taken the steps nessecary to largely recieve help and work toward a state of health, yet I still struggle at times to break free of the "bulimic mindset ": being caught up in guilt over food and it's consumption, desiring and carrying out a purging episode to compensate for eating something unhealthy, etc. This is something I really now only deal with once every few weeks or so, which is such an improvement. I just want this finally behind me though. I want to be done with these "slip- ups ". Has anyone been through this? Words of wisdom?

Posted by: ontheinside24 on 2009-10-24, 19:17:58

Im not sure but i think people with eating disorders can stop the actual dangerous behaviour such as starving themselves or purging but i dont think they ever stop the thoughts completely.

Posted by: nora on 2009-10-24, 19:24:31

I was bulimic through all of middle school but I've fully recovered and i would never even THINK of making myself throw up again. once you eat something the calories are already consumed and puking does not take them away. the acid in your puke burns your esaphogus and destroys your teeth. i find the best way to stop binging is to give in to a craving for certain food such as chocolate when i first have it because if i try to resist it and holding off then end up totally splurging later on and eating ten times worse than i would have if i just ate it when i really wanted to. you should listen to your body and eat when you are hungry. also, drinking water while you eat makes you full faster.

Posted by: ryssee on 2009-10-24, 19:27:01

I have been through it through friends, not myself, and it's tough. That's great that is becoming less and less for you. Keep in your mind that food gives you energy and life, and that it's really not about the food anyway. As you well know, bulimia is not about food, it's about control over aspects of your life, so make sure you're saying and doing the right things when people or situations upset you and trigger the response. Keep seeing the doctors and counselors so they remind you of that and keep it in the front of your mind, and create a mantra for yourself that you say whenever you feel the urge. You want to be done with it, and you will be, I really believe it! And just like any addiction, there will be setbacks, but you will realize your ultimate goal.

Posted by: indiechick on 2009-10-24, 19:53:22

Yea, I've been there! I had both anorexia and bulimia in high school and they were hard to shake. There's no easy way to get through it. My suggestion is weird, but I think it would have helped me when I was going through that. I eat a mostly raw food diet today. I eat some cooked rice and beans, but mostly raw. The reason I think this will help you is that you can eat as much as you want, like huge quantities and still not gain weight. If you make the transition to eating mostly raw foods, you will be able to binge without the fear of gaining weight. Plus, it's extremely nutritious, so your body will be able to regain the nutrients that you're deficient of. Also, I think part of my eating disorder was the fact that I had gluten intolerance. It was damaging my intestines which made me hungrier and depressed. If I ate normally I would gain weight because the gluten intolerance made my metabolism slow, but I was always starving so I would eat and then feel super guilty and then the whole cycle would start again. Gluten intolerance is extremely common, about 1 in 7 people have it. Binge eating is very common among people with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten intolerance because their bodies tell them it needs nutrients (it's an autoimmune disease, but it causes malabsorption of nutrients). I don't binge any more after I cut out gluten because I'm actually absorbing the nutrients. Even if you don't have it, gluten contains an opioid like substance which makes you want more. A lot of people feel better when they cut out gluten, Dairy also has opioid properties and makes you hungrier. You might be able to control yourself better if you cut out these. A lot of people find that gluten and dairy trigger binges. I think eating a high percentage of raw food will help you recover. Slip ups will happen, that's just normal. The fact that they're only once every few weeks is a step in the right direction. Let me know if you have any questions or support :-)