Strategies for Recovering From Bulimia and Other Eating Disorders - Recovering From Eating Disorders

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

pheobee:My therapist and I are both very frustrated because I continue to purge and I don't get any better. She doesn't really understand because she has never had an eating disorder and has only been a therapist for 2 years. Is it more helpful to have a therapist with more experience and/or personal experience?

Judith Asner: Yes. Your therapist may be a wonderful person and a great therapist, but she should know how to manage your binge-purge cycle. What good is it doing you if you and she are in the same place? She is supposed to know what to do to help you. Let her help you find a specialist in this area.

Joy Joy:I am a recovering bulimic. A 15 year bulimic and now add 15 years in recovery with only an occasional, short relapse. Most of the past 15 years I have held off the beast. I am unable to find a way to safely lose the recent gain of twenty pounds. Dieting always brings on a feeling of deprevation and binge eating and triggers a relapse. What can I do?

Judith Asner: Probably exercise is the way with weight lifting, or acceptance of yourself. How about Weight watchers?

Be strong: I'm in self help and I'm starting to relapse -- six times in this past week. Is it time to seek medical help? And, if so, how do I ask my parents?

Judith Asner: Yes. Just ask. They are your parents, you know. I don't think they want you to be sick.

FlamingFireOf*Peace*: I am 16 and was in wrestling for my freshman year. I am pregnant, 14 weeks. The urge to purge, like I used to when I had to cut weight for wrestling always comes back to me. How much harm can this do to my health, being in this position?

Judith Asner: A great deal. Go see a nutritionsit. You need to eat when pregnant. It is normal. Don't deprive the fetus of the nutrition it needs. It can do damage. Go NOW and find out the accurate information you need.

David: When it comes to addressing problem areas, some parents have trouble communiticating with their children. With that in mind, here's the next question: (for parents, read: Survival Guide for Parents with Eating Disordered Children and Help for Parents of Children with Eating Disorders)

LaurenD:How can I help my daughter?

Judith Asner: Can you be more specific?

David: I think what she means is how does a parent approach their child about their concern and what if the teen continues to deny there's a problem?

Judith Asner: If you KNOW that there really is a problem, I recommend you get the ebook, Intervention, on my site and read it. It tells how to intervene to help a youngster. The longer you wait, the more entrenched this behavior becomes. So deal with it right away if you have the evidence of vomiting, food disappearing.

David: Here's a helpful comment from a teen who's been there:

FlamingFireOf*Peace*:I know, being a teen myself, when my parent approaches me that, yes, I will deny a lot. But if they continue to show love towards me to help, I will open up to them. It's just a love of loving, not pushing, persistance.

David: Thank you, Judith, for being our guest today and for sharing this information with us. And to those in the audience, thank you for coming and participating. I hope you found it helpful. We have a very large and active community here at HealthyPlace.com. You will always find people interacting with various sites. Also, if you found our site beneficial, I hope you'll pass our URL around to your friends, mail list buddies, and others. http://www.healthyplace.com

Thank you, again, Judith, for being here this morning.

Judith Asner: Thanks, David and friends.

David: Have a good day everyone.

Disclaimer: We are not recommending or endorsing any of the suggestions of our guest. In fact, we strongly encourage you to talk over any therapies, remedies or suggestions with your doctor BEFORE you implement them or make any changes in your treatment.

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