How to help a person with bulimia: 6 tips to give support

In general, people with bulimia try to hide their symptoms, and contrary to what is believed, many times their physical appearance is not extremely thin. However, by being attentive to details we can notice the presence of this disorder and provide them with the necessary care and support.

In this article we are going to see how to help a person with bulimia through various techniques based on psychological support, and we will also review the concept of bulimia and its main causes, as well as the associated disorders.

• Related article: "The 5 differences between Anorexia and Bulimia"

What is bulimia?

To adequately establish how to help a person with bulimia, it is important to know what this disorder consists of.

Bulimia is an eating disorder in which the person who has it feel an irrational need to binge eat. These excesses occur in a short period of time, and later the feeling of guilt for having eaten that way leads the subject to induced vomiting (may be through manual techniques or through the use of laxatives) or other forms of purging or attempts to lose weight weight.

Obviously, bulimia has repercussions on the person, leading them to present significant discomfort, both physical (vomiting and harmful eating patterns) and mental (anxiety and inability to regulate behavior of binge). Intense states of anxiety as mealtimes approach are characteristic of people with bulimia.

• You may be interested in: "Keys to understanding eating disorders"

Causes of this eating disorder

The origin of this disorder depends on various social, psychological and biological factors. People who are more prone to bulimia are usually constantly worried about their weight, even though it is within normal parameters.

Subjects with obesity problems or those who do not feel satisfied with their physical state and present a marked rejection towards their own body or a particular feature of it, usually their weight (body dysmorphia), are at increased risk of developing bulimia.

Another circumstance that promotes the origin of this disorder is the need to meet beauty standards They promote some brands by spreading their marketing and advertising pieces.

Low self-esteem and personal insecurities are some of the most common psychological factors that can lead people to develop bulimia.

How to help a person with bulimia?

In the next few lines we are going to see a list of tips on how to help a person with bulimia, explained so that they are easier to apply.

1. Avoid criticizing your weight

people with bulimia have a negative thought pattern regarding their own body. This is why any criticism, even though it is constructive and with good intentions, will trigger significant discomfort in them. Ideally, do not emphasize your physical appearance during conversations.

2. Help them understand that they have a problem

The first step for the person to initiate a significant change in their dysfunctional eating habits is that you understand that your behavior is causing you serious health problems

It is important to talk to the person and make them see that the physical is not everything, and that the physical and are important, as well as showing him that bingeing is a habit that should be corrected with therapy.

• You may be interested in: "How to find a psychologist to attend therapy: 7 tips"

3. Accompany you to therapy

It is not enough just to provide support, it is necessary to make that person understand that the best source of help comes from a behavioral specialist. Psychotherapy allows people to stabilize and reduce binge eating and purging, as well as the other symptoms associated with it.

The therapist will be able to determine what the exact triggers for these behaviors may be and start a treatment plan that is in charge of dealing specifically with the subject's thoughts that need to be restructured.

4. Accompany without overwhelming

The accompaniment, complementary to the therapy, must be carefully carried out by the person who provides the support, taking into account that subjects with bulimia are quite anxious.

It is necessary to be patient and gradually lead the subject to restore his eating habits gradually, making him see why he should eat properly.

5. Accompany the nutritionist

Once our accompaniment and therapy begins to bear fruit and the person understands for himself that he should change his eating habits, it is time to suggest that he attend the nutritionist, who can tell you what is the best diet to stay healthy beyond the binge.

6. Help improve self-concept

If we get the person to achieve a better self-concept, we are making leaps and bounds in win the battle against bulimia, we must make the subject understand that we are more than our appearance physical; Helping him discover what his main virtues and strengths are helps a lot.

Bibliographic references:

• Bulik, C.M.; Marcus, M.D.; Zerwas, S.; Levine, M.D.; La Via, m. (2012). The changing "weightscape" of bulimia nervosa. The American Journal of Psychiatry. 169 (10): 1031–6
• Palmer R. (2004). Bulimia nervosa: 25 years on. The British Journal of Psychiatry: the Journal of Mental Science 185 (6): 447-8.