Bulimia Treatment

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Bulimia Nervosa Treatment and Counselling

Oasis Counselling Centre provides a highly structured programme for bulimia nervosa treatment. Clients are required to follow a strict eating plan as administered by a dietician and receive intense bulimia nervosa counselling on a group and individual level. The bulimia treatment at Oasis is provided by highly trained and professional counsellors and therapists, each of whom has extensive knowledge of, and experience in treating eating disorders. We believe in providing a caring environment that becomes a safe space within which our clients can recover.

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder in which the patient binges uncontrollably and then engages in some kind of compensatory behaviour to purge themselves of the food so as not to gain weight. The disease can be fatal, and counselling is often needed. This compensatory behaviour can be vomiting, over-exercising, starvation or the use of laxatives. Treating bulimia nervosa requires the sufferer to cease all bingeing and purging activity and commit to participation in bulimia treatment.

Bulimia is characterised by secretive eating, consuming enough calories to nourish a group of people, an obsession with appearance and weight, stealing food and trips to the toilet after eating. Physically, bulimics appear to have a puffy and swollen face from vomiting as well as swollen limbs and raw knuckles. This is from the sufferer's teeth rubbing against the skin during purging (if vomiting is the chosen method of expelling food).

Bulimics are masters at hiding their behaviour. Many family members and friends are often shocked to find out that the perfect, outgoing and jolly person they are close to has been suffering from bulimia. The disease is hidden with a lot of effort, but a fair degree of success, as sufferers often maintain a perfect weight or are slightly overweight. Some calories are absorbed during binges, thus keeping bulimics at a reasonable weight, but all behaviours are usually acted out in secret.

Bulimia treatment requires professional therapy as well as a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle. Bulimics place strain upon their internal organs through their violent bingeing and purging behaviour. Death from a ruptured stomach and oesophagus is fairly common, as is organ failure, especially kidney failure. A healthy diet and lifestyle is paramount to their physical healing, as bulimia nervosa counselling is to their psyche.

Counselling on an individual basis and in group therapy with fellow patients is an important part of recovery from bulimia. An extended stay in a treatment facility is recommended for prolonged recovery. A short stay of 4 weeks is generally insufficient at preparing the client for normal life without giving into the compulsions of bulimia. An extended care treatment facility, which offers three or more months of therapy, is thought to be the best option for bulimia treatment.

Oasis Counselling Centre endorses a Twelve Step Programme, such as the Eating Disorders Anonymous programme. This is a daily programme of recovery, helping bulimics stay abstinent from their disease indefinitely. Bulimia is a disease just as any other addiction is and requires effort from the sufferer on a daily basis in order to maintain abstinence, as well as a firm foundation for recovery through bulimia treatment.

Contact Oasis Counselling Centre to find out more about other eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and compulsive overeating and their treatment, or to get advice from one of our highly trained counsellors.