Bulimia - Recovery and Lifestyle

[butterflyeffect]

Hey Guys,

Well Ive been bulimic since primary school and Im 20. Through out being sick and trying to get well for the past 3 years and Ive encountered differents obstactles along the way.

The biggest obstacle I faced was finding appropriate treatment that didn't focus on weight gain and refeeding (I became overweight as a result of my illness) but healthy eating, exercize, how to stop binging.

So I was just throwing it out there, How do those of you who struggle, what issues do you face now in your recovery?

What treatment is helping?

Love to hear your opinions and thoughts xx

[Alison Jenkins]

Sorry to hear that you haven't found something that was helpful for you and it was all aimed at weight gain.

Like everything different things work for different people. I am passionate about eating disorder recovery and am in recovery myself from binge eating disorder and bulimia (switched eating disorders!). I've used multiple different strategies which include counselling, support group where I hear other people in recovery (international one is Overeaters Anonymous), food diary, journalling etc.

I also write quite a few blog posts A KNEW YOU on eating disorder recovery and related topics.

Alison

[Dharma]

A friend of mine cured herself while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Pretty much you're putting yourself in a completely different (sometimes magical) environment, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Six months in the woods and around mother nature and trail folk will change you.

If that's something you'd consider, come to America for 6 months and hike the trail. Start in March/April -- go north. You'll spend about $3000-$3500 USD.
Map of the trail

[butterflyeffect]

Hey Dharma - thats a really interesting idea. I read about a family who cured their childs autism by trekking through Malaysia on horse and the power of tribal spiritualism. THat is actually something Im going to think about.

And Alison - I visited your site. I really like the idea with the meal plans. I used to that alot actually it worked really well. I would chart the meals for a week and only eat according to the chart.

Im doing really well with the Eating Disorder at the moment. I actually did the Morty Leftkoe process, Steve linked too and then bought the whole natural confidence package. It was really helpful because I stopped feeling like I needed everyones approval all the time.

Thank you for the link to your blog. I used to attend a day program for Eating disorder which was really helpful combined with a dietican, psychologist and personal trainer. That combination was the most helpful although it got to exhausting in the end. Do you still stay in touch with anyone who is still sick? I did for a while but I found it really triggering.

[Alison Jenkins]

Glad you found the meal planning really helpful. I did too


Alison

[Indigo4]

Hi there,

I had bulimia from the age of 14 to 27, I'm now 37. Basically at one point I was eating and throwing up about 5 times a day.

Eventually I got to the point of being so sick of being sick that I just stopped. Actually "just stopped" isn't quite correct. The first month was horrible, the overpowering urge to eat and throw up was habitual and very strong but I would force myself to focus on something else and gradually day by day it became easier.

Just read that back and that sounds easier than it actually was because it was hard work and extremely difficult but it can be done.

Good luck butterfly. x