Bulimia Treatment Center
Bulimia is a very serious eating disorder and should not be taken lightly. If you or someone you knows is suffering from the effects of bulimia we encourage you to seek professional advice and gather information from bulimia treatment centers.
Common bulimia symptoms are binge eating then purging. They will eat a large amount of food then force themselves to vomit, they usually do this a few times every month. Stress, low self-esteem, and other issues can make bulimia worsen. Compared to Anorexia people with bulimia generally do not lose as much weight.
Although bulimia and Anorexia are both eating disorders they are separate disorders and should be treated differently. Some common symptoms of bulimia include binge eating, detrimental behaviors to lose weight such as vomiting, laxatives, not eating, etc.
There are several negative consequences that accompany bulimia. Some of these may include heartburn, acid reflux, strep throat, cramps, constipation, low self-esteem, depression, glands on the neck, bruised knuckles, tooth enamel decay, dehydration, and many more.
If someone close to you is suffering from bulimia we encourage you to seek professional advice. You can also look into bulimia treatment centers such as Avalon Hills to find a caring staff that will assist your loved one to get the help and support they need to overcome the obstacles of bulimia.
Avalon Hills is a residential eating disorder treatment center located in Utah. Our bulimia eating disorder program is specialized to meet you or your loved one's specific needs. Everyone has a different diagnosis of eating disorders and we pride ourselves in coming up with an individualized treatment plan for you or your loved one. Information never hurts, please contact us to find out more about bulimia treatment and your options.
Avalon Hills is a Bulimia Treatment Center located in Utah. Our successful bulimia treatment center program can assist you in taking back control of your life. We provide an individualized treatment program to find the best possible treatment program for your unique needs and desires.
Bulimia is an eating disorder and should be taken seriously. It can affect your mental and physical in a negative way; it can even cause death if not treated correctly. Bulimia can affect men and women of all ages, there is no set demographics of this eating disorder. Some common symptoms are excessive eating or binge eating afterwhich there is vomiting or purging.
Bulimia nervosa is known as the diet-binge-purge disorder, and an effective bulimia treatment center must provide proper education, treatment and support to those who are suffering, and their loved ones. If you or a loved one is suffering from bulimia, comprehensive treatment is essential for permanent healing. We understand that insufficient or non-existent treatment of bulimia can be a matter of life or death. Avalon Hills bulimia treatment center has competent staff and efficient programs to help heal those in the midst of profound emotional pain. Avalon Hills is a bulimia treatment clinic that is catered to the individual, and we have the ability to help.
Binge Eating and Nutrition
Binge eating is a common precursor to Bulimia Nervosa, however it is also classified, as a disorder in it's own right. Binge eating, by definition, is an eating disorder where the sufferer feels a compulsion to overeat accompanied by a perceived inability to stop eating. Those who suffer from binge eating generally feel self-loathing, guilt, and disgust, at their inability to control their chronic, compulsive, overeating. Although binge eating and Bulimia are separate disorders, Bulimic patients have characteristics of both. Constant use of laxatives and vomiting to purge food from the body has drastic negative effects on your health. These problems, when left untreated, can be deadly!
Outward results of purging may include swelling in the face and cheeks due to self-induced vomiting. Teeth start to decay and due to loss of calcium in the teeth and erosion of the tooth enamel. Gums become susceptible to disease because of constant exposure to stomach acids. Obviously, the combination of stomach acids and disease will cause halitosis as well.
Often temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome becomes apparent. The TMJ is the joint in the jaw where the lower jaw hinges to the skull. TMJ syndrome in Bulimics is caused by constantly pushing your fingers and fist into your mouth to induce vomiting. TMJ syndrome causes headaches, problems chewing or opening and closing your mouth and tooth grinding. A Bulimic will also often have calluses on her fingers from friction against the teeth while inducing vomiting. They may have burst blood vessels in the eyes and in the thin skin around the eyes and nose from the pressure of vomiting. These outward signs are indicative of more serious problems occurring internally. Among these may be Mallory-Weiss tear, a tear of the gastro esophageal junction, caused by excessive vomiting and the resulting stress. Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) can become a problem when food particles, which have been partially digested, are regurgitated back into the esophagus. This can lead to other complications and damage to the esophagus, some as severe as changes to the cellular structure of the esophagus, which can lead to esophageal cancer. In severe cases, gastric rupture can occur.
Chronic binge/purge cycles disrupt the body's natural ability to indicate satiety and hunger. Digestive difficulties become evident, as the body is unable to digest food and absorb nutrients because of disruption in digestive enzymes from the chronic vomiting or laxative abuse. Chronic laxative use also inhibits the body's ability to effectively digest food. Chronic diarrhea and constipation can become problematic as the body becomes dependent upon laxatives to perform excretory functions.
Electrolyte and enzyme balances become disrupted leading to elevated blood sugar and stress on the kidneys, pancreas and liver. Electrolytes are an essential nutrient, providing the body with the ability to send impulses to all the major organs. The most serious result of electrolyte imbalance is the weakening effect on the heart. Malnutrition occurs due to the inability of the body to effectively process nutrients that are received because of these disruptions.
Binging and purging are serious problems that should be treated with immediate intervention. The weight of the sufferer is not the only consideration. Often it is not easy to tell by a persons weight whether or not they are suffering from severe physical effects of purging. Bulimics may be overweight, normal weight or underweight. In fact, one of the symptoms of a possible binge/purge disorder is a normal weight person who appears to eat excessively large amounts of food without gaining any weight. If you suspect that someone you know may be binging and purging help should be sought immediately.
Activities that Heal For Those with Bulimia
An effective companion to traditional treatment methods for eating disorders is special activities that will help those that suffer replace their bad behaviors with good ones. There are many wonderful things that can be done to replace bad body images with good activities. Often, those entrenched in bad behavior receive immense benefit by stepping out of themselves and doing something physically active, educationally stimulating, or emotionally supportive to learn that their problem is not the only one in existence, and that life does exist outside of their eating disorder.
Many options and alternatives exist as additional treatment for eating disorders. Often these options exist in support and awareness groups that can provide the additional support that someone who has Bulimia, or Anorexia needs to cope with day-to-day life. In most cases they serve as a replacement for destructive thoughts and actions, and give those that are plagued a way to vent and eventually out-grow their eating disorder.
Physical Treatment:
Regular exercise can be one of the most effective techniques to treat virtually any disorder. It just makes people feel better. Physical activities such as horseback riding, bicycling, hiking, competitive sports, and virtually any other form of exercise can serve as a distraction and positive addition to the life of someone who is recovering from and eating disorder.
Although it is possible for competitive sports, when taken to the extreme, to foster eating disorders, when kept in balance and supervised, this can be a help and strength to someone who has pulled away from normal activity.
Horseback riding can be especially helpful as an alternative treatment method. The gentle camaraderie and bonding between animal and rider can have a profound effect on the overall recovery process. Also, the caring and feeding of animals provides something for the patient to worry about other then themselves.
Another option is body-centered relaxation. This can include training and exercises in breathing, muscle relaxation, massage, aroma therapy, and yoga. Also, traditional Chinese relaxation exercises such as tai chi and qi gong, are particularly helpful. These types of alternative treatments as well as mindfulness activities focus on teaching the body and mind how to relax. Techniques in self-hypnosis, meditation, imagery exercises can help reduce stress and increase the ability to cope.
Support and Therapy Groups:
Often what someone with food challenges wants is to be understood. This kind of emotional treatment can be facilitated in support and therapy groups. These treatment activities offer patients the opportunity to share their feelings and realize that they are not alone in how the perceive their problem. They become conscious of those around them that also suffer as well as those who have overcome and conquered their eating disorder. Although every patient's experience is unique, their challenges overlap and comprehending this fact can offer comfort and strength during episodes of doubt. General types of support and therapy groups include:
- Family Groups: Family dynamics and how the disorder affects them are explored and discussed. Alternative behaviors are talked about and applied for a healthier familial environment.
- Body Image Groups: Here groups of individuals experience the reality of their skewed body image and how to change it. Obsessive thinking of how one looks to others can lead to compulsive behavior. This is explored in a group setting.
- Nutrition Education Groups: Usually lead by a qualified nutritionist, patients are taught the proper components of good nutrition and how to eat right and feel better.
- Substance Abuse Groups: Often accompanying an eating disorder is the abuse of some kind of drug or substance. Patients are able to learn about how to avoid situations where they will be presented with that option and why it is such a dangerous one.
- Exercise Education Groups: This valuable group provides patients with the reality that good exercise can bring more satisfaction than improper food behavior can. Patients learn how to exercise, possible exercise options and techniques, and what it takes to maintain proper physical condition.
There are many more options to distract and reduce stress and help prevent bulimia from taking over. Below is a list of what to do instead of bingeing.
- Listen to relaxing music.
- Use humor to reduce stress.
- Go for a run.
- Go for a walk.
- Meditate.
- Write in a journal.
- Engage is a hobby.
- Attend an unrelated self-improvement class.
- When eating, just eat without T.V., work, etc.
- Engage in positive self talk: "Why do I want to eat?" "What is benefit and detriment if I binge now?" "What do I need that I'm not getting?"
- Leave the binge environment and go for a walk. (this is important especially when frustrated, under pressure, stressed or bored)
- Get the right amount of sleep.
- Meet new people.
- Attend church.
- Take several deep breaths in a row and refocus.
- Give a friend a call. Someone who is aware and will just listen
- Understand what your triggers are and avoid them.
- Work on your perfectionism. It's okay to not be perfect all the time.
If you are interested in finding more treatment options for bulimia at our bulimia treatment center please contact us:
