cont. from

Continuing treatment will depend on the duration and severity of bulimia nervosa. Usually, ongoing treatment consists of:

• Bulimia and CBT (Cognitive-behavioral therapy), which includes nutritional counseling, to change certain behavior and thinking patterns. The goals of CBT are to teach the person to:
  • Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks per day and avoid other diets.
  • Reduce concern about body weight and shape.
  • Understand and reduce triggers of binge eating through examining interpersonal relationships and emotions.
  • Develop a personalized plan to learn proper coping skills to prevent future relapse.
• Bulimia and Interpersonal therapy (IT). IT helps the person examine the relationship between interpersonal conflicts and symptoms of bulimia.
• Bulimia and Dialectical behavior therapy, which is a long-term approach that focuses on helping the person regulate emotions. By coping better with life's challenges and negative emotions, binge-purge behaviors should decrease.
• Bulimia and Group counseling, which may enhance individual therapy. Often it is helpful to speak with other people who have this condition.
• Bulimia and Family therapy. Sometimes family members unknowingly interfere with a loved one's recovery. Family members will learn about the disorder, get support, and eventually focus on dealing with other family issues.

Antidepressant medications may be tried to help reduce the frequency of binge-purge cycles and treat associated conditions, such as depression or anxiety.

Treatment if the condition gets worse

If complications of bulimia (such as dehydration or a stomach ulcer) develop, hospitalization or admission to an eating disorder treatment facility may be necessary.

Sometimes people with bulimia nervosa get discouraged because recovery can take a long time and relapse is common. If you or the person with bulimia feels extremely discouraged or even suicidal, be sure to let the doctor or someone around know immediately—help is available.

What To Think About

Treatment combining psychological counseling with antidepressants works better than taking an antidepressant alone.

Eating disorders are difficult to treat. Recovery may take months to years. The sooner treatment begins, the better the chance for a full recovery.

next: Taking Care of Yourself and How to Support Someone With Bulimia

top . pages 1 2 3 . send to friend . eating disorders site map

Reviewed: 03/2006