Does It Ever Go Away?

I have had bulimia nervosa since I was 15 and I am 31 now. I have treatment for bipolar and therapy for abuse but I still can't shift this behaviour. It is upsetting to type this. I wish I could get better. Does it go away?

Cracked

hun...
1. thank you for your other reply and 2. I honestly don't know if it does. I think it's all about staying strong and telling those thoughts to get lost - much easier to say then do, but possible.
Does it have specific triggers? I know with me I'm worse if I'm with family. Is there anything you can try to replace it with? Again I know it's not the same, but if I want to b/p and i know i can't, I smoke a hell of a lot and seem to get through.

Maybe it's like any addiction... So we just need to find ways to break the patterns and replace the bad behaviours with the good...

I'm really not one to be in a position of giving advice, especially as I still get caught in the thick of it too.

If alcoholics and drug adicts can get better, so can we xx

I'm new to this site and decided to join because my bulimia has come back. Like you, I have struggled with bulimia since I have been 11years old and i'm now 27!... It has come and gone through out my life with some points being more severe... I havn't been hospitalized but a reflection of its effects have shown on my teeth and hands. I have been on different medications for anxiety and depression( ie: ativan prozac xanax valium and klonopin ) only to make me numb and abusive to the meds... I have been off medication for 6 months now, however, when I began to have an appetite again my bulimia came back... I know why I have this disorder and I unfortunately believe there is no cure for myself I refuse to get back on meds and talking to a psychologist is a temporary cure. Presently, my mental state is good. I am not depressed nor am I suffering from sever anxiety. . I try to keep a "healthy" life style sticking to eating fruits veges poultry and fish , but if I try to eat anything else mostly processed (breads pasta rice yogurt) ill make myself purge. I have recently gained 5 lbs which has escalated my obsession.... needless to say; i am one with my disorder.

Thanks for the replies I appreciate it. I am triggered by a full feeling in my tummy even tho I don't binge. And when something bad happens. Sometimes I just feel like punishing myself. I also find it is addictive and the more I do it the more I feel I need to do it. Sometimes it is not so bad other times it is really bad.

Thank you so much for your replies

Cracked

eeehhh - i hear that.


Have you thought about hypnotism??? I think for a good session it's not cheap. If i had lots of dosh I'd get paul mckenna to my house pronto, lol.

I think a good one is between 100 - 250 per session. Expensive, but it's supposed to be like years worth of cbt in the space of not very many sessions. Even just one does a lot of good apparently.

Beware of cheap ones though - my friend spent 60 quid on one once and didn't get much out of it.

xx

Thank you that is a good idea. I hear you about Paul Mckenna

Cracked

Hi,

I realise this is an old thread, but I'm new to these forums but experienced in other forums, and came across this thread in searching for a similar topic to the one on my mind.

I do believe it's like an addiction. For me and eating disorder is always with you. Just as any alcoholic will always call themselves an alcoholic, but will follow the statement with how long they have been sober. Well that's how I feel about eating disorders.

I found these forums tonight as I'm concerned I have or am relapsing. I've been, sober? Perhaps healthy is a better term for 7 years after a family intervention when I was sixteen.

However, I felt unwell a few weeks ago due to some bad takeout and managed to convince myself that I'd feel better if I got it out of my system and threw up. Which eventually I did. And I felt better... But since then I've gone back into cycles of sorts... Until tonight when I've given into temptation and made myself sick once more. Already I'm craving that cycle and dreaming of weight loss. Frankly, I'm scaring myself.

How can I be healthy for so long to be facing square one again? And how especially when there seems to be no trigger?

Saint

Hi Saint,

I am sorry you are going through this relapse. Do you think the trigger was the first throwing up as it reminded you of past patterns of behaviour. Do you still have a therapist or can you get back in touch with them? Please keep posting as we are listening. It was weird reading this thread as I am so much better now and I hope very much things settle for you soon too.

Cracked

Hi cracked,

Thanks for replying and glad to hear you a much better now. I'm unsure whether it was a reminder that then triggered me, or whether I jumped at the opportunity to make myself sick. I think it was more the latter if I'm being totally honest.

I think I'm mostly scared at how much I'm craving to purge once more. I feel like I've already lost all discipline. I've made myself sick again today, but this time in work. Ordinarilly I would have never have done that outside of my own home. Just don't want to loose control again. And I'm petrified as the last few weeks has given me the realisation that I don't think this is something I will have ever have mastered or beaten or removed from my life

It sounds like you are already losing control hon. Do you feel up to asking for some help? I am sorry you are going through this and please keep posting we are listening.

Cracked