Treatment for bulimia
Like all eating disorders, bulimia can be difficult to treat and usually requires a team approach involving ntstrition education, medications, and psychotherapy. If the patient appears to be suicidal or the intractable binge- purge behavior does not respond to outpatient therapy, hospitalization may be necessary. Don’t expect instant success, however; treatment often takes 3 years or more, and even then, relapses are common.
Treat nutritional deficiencies early. This is especially important if the body’s potassium reserves have been depleted by vomiting or laxative abuse. Eating high-potassium foods, such as dried fruits, bananas, and fresh fruits and vegetables, usually restores the mineral; if not, a supplement may be needed.
Keep a diary. Nutrition education typically begins with asking the person with bulimia to keep a diary to help pinpoint circumstances that contribute to binging. A nutrition counselor may also give the patient an eating plan that minimizes the number of decisions she must make about what and when to eat. This diet should emphasize foods high in protein and starches while excluding favorite binge foods until the bulimia is under control; they can then be reintroduced in small quantities. At this stage of treatment, the person with bulimia learns how to give herself permission to eat desirable foods in reasonable quantities, in order to reduce the feelings of deprivation and intense hunger that often lead to loss of control in eating.
