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Treatment of Bulimia

Severity of bulimia varies considerably. It is likely that there are large numbers of girls with mild symptoms who never seek medical help and do recover on their own. However, there is a risk that the bulimia will slowly get worse with time. A common time for women to seek help is when they are planning to start a family.

 Guidelines for the treatment published by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) in January 2004 sets the standard for NHS treatment in of eating disorders in England and Wales.

The main guidelines for Bulimia nervosa: -

  • GP’s should make an early diagnosis of an eating disorder so those seeking help should be assessed and receive treatment at the earliest opportunity.
  • Your assessment should be comprehensive and include physical, psychological and social needs.
  • Your G.P. should initially offer you an evidence-based self-help programme. As an alternative or additional, adults with bulimia nervosa should be offered the antidepressant medication - fluoxetine (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor /SSRI).
  • If self- help does not work you should be offered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, especially developed for bulimia (CBT- BN) The course should normally be 16-20 individual sessions over 4 to 5 months.
  • If you are a teenager with Bulimia you should be offered CBT-BN adapted as needed to suit your age, circumstances and level of development. Family members (including other children in the family) should be involved as appropriate. The course should normally be 16-20 individual sessions over 4 to 5 months.
  • If you not respond or do not want CBT, other psychological treatment should be considered
  • You will normally be treated in an out- patient setting, however a very small minority of people with bulimia may need inpatient treatment, when the condition is linked to a suicide risk or severe self- harm.

Advice can also be sought from specialist eating disorder help lines. You may be encouraged to keep a diary of eating habits. Success often depends on you wanting to recover, if this is the case, the outcome of treatment is very good.