When it comes to eating disorders, bulimia is definitely one of the most serious. It is a potentially fatal condition that affects more than 200,000 people per year. It is characterized by binge eating, which is then followed by vomiting and other extreme methods to avoid gaining weight. This is a chronic condition, and many people have it for years or for their entire lives.
People that have this condition binge eat and then they do things like vomiting, extreme exercise, fasting or any other methods that they can think of. The good news is, there is treatment available for bulimia, usually through the assistance of medication and a mental health professional. However, there are some other methods that can be helpful when overcoming bulimia. Let’s look at some of the best tried-and-true methods for overcoming bulimia on your own. These are not a substitute for treatment, but they can definitely be helpful.
1. Avoid Alcohol
First, you want to make sure that you avoid alcohol. Unfortunately, many people that have eating disorders and other mental illnesses where depression is a factor use alcohol to self-medicate and make themselves feel better. But alcohol can be a major barrier to getting healthy when you have bulimia. For one thing, alcohol has tons of calories in it already.
Since you probably know that, you’re going to feel guilty about drinking – and eating – even stronger than you did before. Since you know that you consumed more calories than you should have, it is going to trigger either a bench or a purge, neither of which is healthy. Plus, alcohol lowers your inhibitions and makes you lose your self-control. That means that if you are trying to control your bulimia, and are trying to get help, alcohol is going to stand in the way. Plus alcohol is extremely addicting over time.
