Bulimia nervosa

[Gormur]

I've never been diagnosed, but I know I've had it for at least 4-5 years now. I guess I've just been kind of ashamed cause I never have control when I binge and feel like crap afterwards. Lately, it's gotten pretty bad. I eat maybe 7 to 8 big meals a day and am spending way too much on groceries. The weird thing is I don't remember the last time I felt hungry. Looking at food makes me ill sometimes but I know have to eat a lot of it to feel better, but I only end up feeling like crap. I notice since I've cut back on my drug use it's gotten way worse..so there is some addiction issue I have to work out, somehow. I work out during the day, usually twice a day now to try to burn some of the calories.. I never purge tho just thinking of food makes me want to vomit much of the time.

I don't know about meds but I'm already on sth for bipolar so I'm a bit hesitant to take anything else and mix it. I hope there is someone out there who has some advice. I'm hesitant to talk to anyone about it cause I know much of the treatment doesn't work..so I'd like some input from other bulimics and what has worked for them. Thanks guys.

Peace

[KingHarvest]

What would be the loss if you did get treatment and it didn't work? You'd be in exactly the same situation that you're in now, but if the treatment does work, then for you.

[ILuvEire]

What would be the loss if you did get treatment and it didn't work? You'd be in exactly the same situation that you're in now, but if the treatment does work, then for you.

I agree! You won't end up worse.

Do they treat bulimia through medication? I thought it was just through talk therapy. I know more about anorexia. I can ask one of my friends that has dealt with bulimia.

[Gormur]

What would be the loss if you did get treatment and it didn't work?

I might be out a couple thousand dollars and still be the same.

I'm already paying $400 a month for a bipolar med. I can't afford much else as it is.

[KingHarvest]

Ahh, yes, the wonders of no nationalized healthcare!

[Nukalurk]

Could it be because of your drug consumption?

[Rounin]

One has to wonder whether the food and the drugs don't fulfill the same basic purpose? To buy a sense of short-term well-being at the expense of the long term. Surely a lot of the rituals we humans go through from day to day perform this same basic function.

[Hoogstwaarschijnlijk]

One has to wonder whether the food and the drugs don't fulfill the same basic purpose? To buy a sense of short-term well-being at the expense of the long term. Surely a lot of the rituals we humans go through from day to day perform this same basic function.

Yes, I think this is a very important thing about why somebody has boulimia. You treat food like a kind of drugs, basically and at this moment you are not very happy with that. Okay, the most important thing: never vomit. Just don't start with it, it will damage your health way more than if you just eat the most you can. Don't vomit. You work out twice a day, don't work out more than that. Once a day is perfect (well, it depends on your situation of health and weight and stuff, but I think once a day is fine). Try to keep in mind what food means for you, why you eat. In your post you say it quite clear, actually. I know you are an intelligent guy, you know rationally what you are doing, why you are doing it. Now that you talk about it here, I guess you want to change your way of life. I don't know how often you think about food and if you really have boulimia, but that does not really matter anyway, if you feel unhappy with how you eat and if you binge, that is worse enough. It is very, very difficult to handle it on your own. It is not weak of you when you don't succeed. It is probably better if you look for professional help. I have never heard of medicines though, mostly it is just therapy. Do you already see a psychologist or something? You may be able to talk with her/ him. I understand you don't want to spend a lot of money on it, however, I think you're health (physical but mostly mental) is more important. And in the end you may save money because you're going to eat less

I hope this is a bit helpful for you. I don't have boulimia myself, but I am dealing for maybe 7 years with an eating disorder now and a friend of mine is at the moment in therapy for boulimia, so I'm not talking about a subject where I don't absolutely know anything about it. Good luck.

[Levo]

I've never been diagnosed, but I know I've had it for at least 4-5 years now. I guess I've just been kind of ashamed cause I never have control when I binge and feel like crap afterwards. Lately, it's gotten pretty bad. I eat maybe 7 to 8 big meals a day and am spending way too much on groceries. The weird thing is I don't remember the last time I felt hungry. Looking at food makes me ill sometimes but I know have to eat a lot of it to feel better, but I only end up feeling like crap. I notice since I've cut back on my drug use it's gotten way worse..so there is some addiction issue I have to work out, somehow. I work out during the day, usually twice a day now to try to burn some of the calories.. I never purge tho just thinking of food makes me want to vomit much of the time.

I don't know about meds but I'm already on sth for bipolar so I'm a bit hesitant to take anything else and mix it. I hope there is someone out there who has some advice. I'm hesitant to talk to anyone about it cause I know much of the treatment doesn't work..so I'd like some input from other bulimics and what has worked for them. Thanks guys.

Peace

In reality everyone has a kind of addiction, a kind of "drug".
Do you do any sports regularly at present? Try to find what is that healthy activity that comforts your "addiction-desires and energies". Like, running, biking, reading in hazardous amounts. Let it not be drugs or bulimia, find out what's your real ruling passion.

[Gormur]

In reality everyone has a kind of addiction, a kind of "drug".

I wish it was that simple. Ever since I can remember I have been bingeing, over-exercising, or doing drugs to feel normal. When I'm not doing anything abnormal, I feel empty and depressed. This is part of the whole bipolar/manic behavior I have. It's something I'm not even conscious of much of the time. There are days when I'm up and days when I'm down. No days are normal.

Try to find what is that healthy activity that comforts your "addiction-desires and energies". Like, running, biking, reading in hazardous amounts.

I do everything in hazardous amounts. That's the problem. I think I may even stop taking this med cause it just makes me worse (I'm eating even more now than before) and is costing way too much money.

[Gormur]

One has to wonder whether the food and the drugs don't fulfill the same basic purpose? To buy a sense of short-term well-being at the expense of the long term. Surely a lot of the rituals we humans go through from day to day perform this same basic function.

Of course. I've never felt good when I'm sober. I'm dealing with a natural imbalance in my brain chemistry that has always been there, besides some serious maternal issues.

[nighean-neonach]

I know this probably sounds very mean, but weren't you that super cool guy who could get every hot chick he wanted and had some very specific attitudes about alpha-males etc.?
Maybe you should just tidy up your whole life a bit...


No offence meant, I suppose an internet forum full of geeks is not exactly the right place to address an issue like that... I've had some friends with anorexia / bulimia and the only thing that really helped them was long term professional help (not medication, but psychotherapy). If you can't afford that, do you have some close friend to support you and talk things through?

[Hoogstwaarschijnlijk]

In reality everyone has a kind of addiction, a kind of "drug".
Do you do any sports regularly at present? Try to find what is that healthy activity that comforts your "addiction-desires and energies". Like, running, biking, reading in hazardous amounts. Let it not be drugs or bulimia, find out what's your real ruling passion.

I think this is a really weird advice. Like everyone has a passion for sports... Well, not me Besides, too many sports isn't that healthy either.

@Gormur: If you think you're medicines only make it worse (or at least make your eat habbits worse), can't you talk about it to a doctor or something?

[nighean-neonach]

I think this is a really weird advice. Like everyone has a passion for sports... Well, not me Besides, too many sports isn't that healthy either.

Besides, sports itself can be an addiction - it rather often appears in combination with eating disorders...two of my friends who suffered from eating disorders where also obsessed with sports/exercise. It all comes down to a totally distorted relation to your body.

[Gormur]

I know this probably sounds very mean, but weren't you that super cool guy who could get every hot chick he wanted and had some very specific attitudes about alpha-males etc.?
Maybe you should just tidy up your whole life a bit...

Oh, I never said I was perfect tho. If anything, admitting one isn't perfect and trying to face one's problems head on is very much an alpha trait. Self-improvement should be a priority for everyone.

If you can't afford that, do you have some close friend to support you and talk things through?

My friends don't understand me. I wonder if my psychiatrist even does...maybe on a superficial level. All of my relationships are superficial because I distance myself from people on some level. The paradox is that I have better-than-average interpersonal skills and becoming intimate with others..but again, I simultaneously show little interest in other people. Schizotypal people are complicated. I'm still trying to understand myself.

[Hoogstwaarschijnlijk]

I think this is a really weird advice. Like everyone has a passion for sports... Well, not me Besides, too many sports isn't that healthy either.

Besides, sports itself can be an addiction - it rather often appears in combination with eating disorders...two of my friends who suffered from eating disorders where also obsessed with sports/exercise. It all comes down to a totally distorted relation to your body.

Yes, well, I kind of meant that too. Though I want to add on your last sentence: (...) to your body or to food.

[Gormur]

I don't really have body image issues. I eat a lot to get a buzz. I think the buzz comes from some insulin release, but I'm not sure.

[nighean-neonach]

The paradox is that I have better-than-average interpersonal skills and becoming intimate with others..but again, I simultaneously show little interest in other people.

You know what this is usually called over here in plain old Europe? Egocentric (aka spoilt-child-syndrome)

[Hoogstwaarschijnlijk]

I don't really have body image issues. I eat a lot to get a buzz. I think the buzz comes from some insulin release, but I'm not sure.

Yes, that's why I added the food-thing

[Trapy]

Be a man and bulk up, put some meat on those bones!