Is Bulimia considered a mental illness?

Bulimia Nervosa is a severe eating disorder characterised by binge eating and then purging to prevent weight gain. Individuals who have Bulimia are typically worried about their body weight or self-image and may take drastic actions to lose their weight. These harsh actions may include the misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or excessive exercise.

The National Institute of Mental Health states that eating disorders are life-threatening mental disorders. Bulimia can be caused by genetic and environmental factors and affect a person’s physical, emotional, and mental functions. That’s why this eating disorder is considered a mental illness.

How Bulimia affects mental health?

When you struggle with this eating disorder, your brain functioning is impacted and shows the signs or symptoms of acute problems. Your thoughts affect your behaviours. For example, if you believe you are overweight, just an idea of food is a hurting reminder that you are not good enough. This reminder can lead to behaviours like self-starving, binging, or purging.

The intrusive thoughts and actions related to Bulimia Nervosa may affect a person’s personal and professional life. Individuals with this eating disorder show hidden purging or vomiting habits as well as reveal the use or misuse of laxatives. In this case, people consume caloric intake and then do excessive exercise and purge due to high levels of anxiety or stress. These extreme levels of anxiety and stress can negatively impact a person’s mind and body. These problems can be treated with Bulimia Nervosa treatment.

Treatment of Bulimia

Whether you or a loved one has Bulimia, it is essential to be proactive and look for the best treatment. If you understand the Bulimia is a type of severe mental illness that can be treated, the psychological and physical consequences of Bulimia Nervosa can be prevented. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) are two psychotherapy techniques known for treating Bulimia.

CBT aims to help an individual in learning healthier ways of thinking about food and rebuild their self-esteem. CBT is also great for treating selective eating disorder. CBT therapy session for Bulimia encompasses three phases. In the first phase, the therapist informs the patients regarding the harmful physiological effects of drastic actions, helping them build a regular healthy eating pattern as well as an appropriate weight monitoring schedule. The second shift includes education regarding reducing shape and weight concerns and self-starvation behaviours. In the third phase, the focus shifts to the maintenance and the prevention of recurring eating disorder.

On the other hand, DBT is developed to teach people living with Bulimia how to cope with stress, control emotions, and live in the moment.

Eating disorder therapists can help you!

If you want to get rid of the eating disorder quickly and effectively, you need to get in touch with highly trained eating disorder recovery specialists. They will not only improve your physical health but also help you live a healthy life again. If you want to try self-help version of CBT to treat Bulimia, dedicated therapist can also help you in this. Apart from that, they can also overcome co-occurring disorders, which refers to substance abuse and mental disorders.

Ellern Mede Eating Disorder Services is widely regarded as the UK’s most specialist provider of intensive inpatient and outpatient treatment for children and young people.