Suspect Bulimia | Imamother

amother

Mon, Jan 14 2008, 8:37 pm

How would you handle it if you suspect your teen is bulimic? She is a larger girl, with body image issues - so it wouldn't be a far stretch if she was. It doens't seem that she throws up all the time but she's not hiding it too well when she does....at the very early stages of even being aware of this.

Does confronting it make it worse? I am sure there is an underlying issue....Very confused.

Mimisinger

Mon, Jan 14 2008, 8:51 pm

Get her professional help ASAP!!! Get her talking to someone NOW! This is a horrible disease and the earlier you stop it the better! And, if it's not, the worst you'll be doing is having her talk to a therapist which most teens need anyway.

red sea

Mon, Jan 14 2008, 8:52 pm

professional advice for you how to handle this may be Waaaaay better than imamother advice in this case. I'd get the advice for yourself before doing anything including bringing it up with her. how you broach the topic to begin with is very important.

ss321

Mon, Jan 14 2008, 8:57 pm

seek professional advice, and stat.
I can give you some really great names if you want. Theyre nationally known, the best of the best, but unf. some are not in NY.
Pm me if youre interested.

Nicole

Mon, Jan 14 2008, 9:57 pm

Having been bulimic as a teen, I can tell you the following:

DO:
-act kindly toward her when bringing up the issue
-set her up with a competent therapist with experience dealing with eating disorders
-try to keep open communication with her, on this issue as well as all others
-express desire to work WITH her to get better

DON'T:
-accuse her of being selfish, wanting attention, etc
-demand an explanation for how this all started
-watch what she eats carefully at all meals/comment on what she eats (be it a lot, or a little)

feel free to pm me if you'd like to discuss further. Good luck and kol hakavod to you for recognizing the need for help.

greenfire

Mon, Jan 14 2008, 10:03 pm

I think knowledge of all the side effects would be informative to her ... like the vomit acid ruining the teeth ... feeling weak and not accomplishing what she set out in a way to lose weight ... etc.

amother

Tue, Jan 15 2008, 6:30 am

greenfire wrote:

Logic does not work. As an anorexic teen I researched all the side effects and decided I would rather be skinny even if.

She needs professional help, the sooner the better. Like yesterday already.