| I found out
that my 16 year old daughter was bulimic approximately 2 years ago after I
found a journal that she was writing. Actually, in my ignorance at the time, I
thought she was just "going through a phase". I didn't believe that
she was doing it often, nor did I believe that it would continue very long.
These opinions were based on the fact that I never saw or heard her do it and
she didn't appear to be losing weight.
I did not approach her with my discovery- and at about the same time she
began counseling for depression. Her therapist confirmed to me that she was
binging and purging.
She lost a classmate to suicide, then her beloved grandfather died suddenly
of a heart attack. I know she started making herself throw up as a way of
"having control" over her life, and "getting rid of the bad
stuff". She never wanted to have me find out because she said that it is
disgusting and she was afraid of disappointing me. In fact, it's only within
the last few months that she became aware that I know about it.
She has seen a counselor for 2 years, which hasn't helped much. She says he
doesn't understand. She took Prozac for 1 1/2 months, then refused to take it
anymore-said it didn't make her feel better. She does access your message board
and chatrooms which I think has helped her because she is able to talk to
people who "understand".
No other members of the family are in counseling at this time. It seems like
I am the only other person affected by it. I feel a tremendous amount of guilt!
I feel like if I would have tried harder to give her a stronger self-esteem,
she wouldn't be trying to hurt herself. I feel like I have failed her in some
way. It scares me to think of the long term problems she is subjecting herself
to. I also don't understand what would make a person want to do that.
That is why I access your channel, because I am desperately searching for
ways to help my daughter before this gets completely out of control. I want to
make her feel good about herself, and realize that she is a wonderful person.
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