CBT For Bulimia
Bulimia is a form of eating disorder that is associated with ‘binge eating’. Bulimia is more than occasionally overindulging in a favourite meal, with bulimia sufferers feeling they are not in control of the amount of food they are consuming. After a binge, the person often feels guilt and distress over their easting habits and will make themselves vomit or use laxatives to purge their body.
Many people who experience bulimia also have body dysmorphia issues and feel anxious about their size, shape and weight, and feel trapped in a vicious cycle of binge eating and purging their body.
How cognitive behavioural therapy can help those with bulimia nervosa
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based form of verbal counselling which involves working with a professional therapist to identify the thoughts and feelings that are contributing to their bulimia.
Negative or unhelpful thoughts about food often impact how a person with bulimia perceives their body shape. CBT focuses on understanding how these thoughts and emotions influence the person’s unhealthy relationship with food. By replacing those unhelpful ideas with more positive ones it’s possible for the individual to gain a healthier perspective on food and their diet.
Bulimia sufferers may be encouraged to monitor what they consume to help them identify any patterns that may trigger the binge eating and purging cycle. Having an awareness of binge eating triggers will help the client to spot the signs and take constructive action to prevent binging from happening.
Often, bulimia sufferers also have anxiety or depression issues, and a CBT therapist will work with their client to teach them the mechanisms to cope with situations that they find stressful, that could otherwise contribute to their bulimia.
Take the first steps to life free from bulimia
Seeking help is the first, and often the most difficult, step on the road to recovering from bulimia.
The qualified CBT therapists at Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Interventions work with clients individually to address the difficult thoughts they experience when thinking about food. The therapist will also help the client to understand how they perceive their body and develop techniques to minimise the distress they feel when unhelpful thoughts occur.
Jamie Dempsey M.A. BABCP accredited CBT therapist (About me link) will help you to understand and provide a safe and compassionate space to explore the challenging beliefs a bulimic person holds. Over time, the client will develop a healthier relationship with food and break free from the distressing cycle of binging and purging to lead a life free from bulimia.
