How to support someone with bulimia?

Contrary to popular belief, bulimia does not only affect young teenage girls. Bulimia also affects adult women and young teenage boys and adult men too. Overcoming this eating disorder may take months or even years depending on the individual.

Oftentimes a person with an eating disorder is too embarrassed to seek help. Other times, they may deny that they have a problem. So if you noticed a friend who may bulimic, here are some ways you could approach your friends to help them:

1.    You need to educate yourself on what bulimia is really about.

2.     Learn what kind of eating disorder is it.

3.     How does it come about?

4.     Why does it happen?

5.     What are the signs and symptoms of bulimia?

6.     What could you do to help them?

Educate yourself first before trying to help another.

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Here are some signs of bulimia that a bulimic will exhibit:

Binge eating

• There is a lack of control when eating. They are unable to stop eating and they are usually eating large amount of food with no obvious change in weight. Furthermore, they may consume large amount of food in a short period of time.

• They are usually alternating between overeating and fasting. After a binge eating spree, they would feel guilty and spend the next day fasting.
  

Next: Purging signs