Talking Through Your Eating Disorder: Talk Therapy Proves Effective at Treating Bulimia

By Leslie Davis

Anybody who has struggled with bulimia will admit that the habit of binge eating and purging is not an easy one to stop. Many people with bulimia struggle with the eating disorder for decades.

They may have tried to stop through support groups, self-help books or even spending time at a residential treatment center for eating disorders. And while those methods may have eventually resulted in these behaviors coming to an end, they likely took a lot of time to do so.

One method for treating bulimia - cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) — has proven to be effective at getting to the root of the disorder more quickly. In as few as 15 to 20 sessions over five months, CBT can help people who are struggling with bulimia to stop their behaviors and change they way they think about their bodies.

A recent review published in The Cochran Library found that 37 percent of people completely stopped binge eating when treated with CBT that focused on binging. About 20 percent of participants were able to stop through other therapies, while only 3 percent of those who were assigned to a waiting list control group were able to stop.

“Cognitive behavioral therapy is really the treatment of choice,” lead author Phillipa Hay, M.D., foundation chair of mental health at the University of West Sydney in Australia, said in an Oct. 6 article on the Health Behavior News Service website. “It has far and away the best evidence.”

How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Works

CBT is a form of talk therapy that targets and modifies behaviors, rewiring patients’ brains to think of situations differently and learn to cope with them better. CBT is based on the idea that a person’s behaviors are determined by attitudes or assumptions they have developed based on experiences. This form of talk therapy can help patients identify and correct their dysfunctional beliefs.

When used with bulimia, CBT targets why and how a person overeats and then purges. Through therapy, patients will focus on their attitudes toward their shape, weight and self-esteem, and will work to change their dysfunctional mindset. The idea is that having them reframe how they view themselves can help them overcome their eating disorder.

CBT was initially used to treat depression, and this remains a secondary effect of using the procedure to treat bulimia.

“Many people have problems with depression secondary to binge eating disorders,” Hay said. “They often feel anxious and guilty because of their binging so if the eating disorder improves, the depression improves as well.”

Finding Treatment for Bulimia

No matter what method you ultimately use to treat your eating disorder, finding a treatment that works is important to your long-term health. The side effects of bulimia include the following:

• Damage to your vocal cords
• Stomach ulcers
• Hair loss
• Digestive problems
• Damage to your teeth and throat
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
• Decreased bone density
• Weak muscles
• Irregular hormones
• Damage to your immune system

CBT is offered by therapists in private practice and at residential treatment centers for eating disorders. If you are seeking a therapist, be sure to find one who deals with eating disorders and is trained in CBT. At a residential treatment center, you will be able to address both your eating disorder and any underlying causes for the disorder, such as depression or anxiety.

If you opt for the self-help method, find books that are specific to bulimia and that are in a format you find accessible. A self-help book will not help you if you don’t read it, or if you find it confusing. Support groups may also be a good way to get you through the challenge of overcoming your eating disorder because you will be given regular encouragement from others going through a similar experience. Just be sure to stick to them.

Bulimia is treatable, and you don’t have to struggle with it forever. Find a treatment that works for you so that you are able to stop your urge to binge and purge.