Eating Disorder Clinics

Bulimia or bulimia nervosa is a psychosomatic illness. In consequence, bulimia treatment is also at the psychosomatic level. In this illness, an individual, a bulimic, compulsively indulges in short-time in-secret implementation of cravings for large amounts of high carbohydrate and high calorie food. Bulimia treatment consists in first analyzing the thought process behind the behavior.

After this binge-eating, compensatory behavior takes over and the bulimic either purges her/his body of the food through use of vomiting, laxatives, or enemas or uses non-purgatory methods such as exercises to get rid of the 'tension'.

If you look at this behavior of a bulimic, you may wonder what really causes the binge-eating 'in secret'. The 'in-secret' eating is the real key. Doctors or other people may think that the 'binge-eating' is the real issue. No, not at all!!! The truth is different. The 'binge eating' is only an indicative value of something else going on at the back of the mind.

It is as if some 'as yet unknown stimulation trigger or thought' in the bulimic's mind, actually wanted to indulge in an inadmissible, immoral, or illegal behavior. However, knowledge about the behavior being inadmissible, immoral, or illegal, constrained the mind from giving effect to it.

Although, the behavior could not be given effect, the 'thought' behind the behavior can never be erased from the mind. That 'thought' constantly revolves in the mind. The mind wrestles to free itself from that thought as it can not be implemented. Therefore, the mind thinks of alternative action as a 'relief valve' to get rid of that 'thought' which is pestering it.

The binge-eating, in secret and in a short period of time, acts as that relief valve. The mind explains to itself that eating, that too in secret, is no crime.

Through the binge-eating, the mind has become only 'temporarily' successful in getting rid of the 'thought'. Now, the mind thinks of the consequences that will happen to the 'body' because of the binge eating. Corrective action is thought by the mind and implemented. The method of implementation is not important for the mind, but the implementation is.

So, either the implementation occurs through purging methods such as vomiting, use of laxatives, or enemas, or it occurs through non-purgatory methods such as exercising. Both methods release tension in the body and relieve the mind from the 'tension' so felt.

Yet, the 'thought' has only receded to the back of the mind as it has become temporarily 'satiated' via indirect means.

Another 'stimulation trigger' at some future point in time, may bring that same 'thought' to the fore in the bulimic's mind and cause the same 'vicious cycle' to get repeated all over, again and again.

Bulimia treatment consists of analysis of the whole 'cycle' and the 'stimulation trigger'. Ordinary people who watch this behavior cannot understand it. Nor can the bulimic, as she or he cannot 'link' up the 'thought' and the binge-eating'.

Eating Disorder Clinics |