Treatment for Bulimia: An Overview
Presently, there is no universally accepted standard treatment for
bulimia. Because of its complexity, bulimia requires a comprehensive treatment plan involving medical care and monitoring, psychosocial interventions, nutritional counseling, and, when appropriate, medication.
Ideally, this integrated approach to treating bulimia will also include the skills of nutritionists, mental health professionals, endocrinologists, and other physicians.
Unless malnutrition is severe, any substance abuse problems that may be present at the time the bulimia is diagnosed are usually treated first.
People with bulimia often do not recognize or admit that they are ill. As a result, they may strongly resist getting and staying in treatment for bulimia. Family members or other trusted individuals can be helpful in ensuring that the person with bulimia receives needed care and rehabilitation. For some people, treatment for bulimia may be long-term.
Strategies for Bulimia Treatment
Treatment for bulimia is most successful when the disorder is first diagnosed. The longer abnormal eating behaviors persist, the more difficult it is to overcome the disorder and its effects on the body.
The primary goal of treatment for bulimia is to reduce or eliminate
binge eating and purging behavior. To this end, nutritional rehabilitation, psychosocial intervention, and medication management strategies are often employed.
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