I was addicted to food for 20 years and have been recovering since 2005. Any recovered addict will tell you that the first step to recovering is admitting that you have a problem. The second bulimia tip I suggest is taking the first important step toward recovery.
For some people, their breakthrough and their path out of addiction comes after a massive breakdown. Of the bulimia tips I suggest, the first is for you to decide that you cannot continue living with this addiction in your life. At some point you realize that enough is enough and it is finally time to make a change.
You may be denying your eating disorder right now. You may think that obsessive control over eating, bingeing, and purging is a voluntary choice you are making. You probably don’t think of your bulimia as an addiction that you have no power against.
If you think this, then you cannot see, or you are being deliberately blind to the impact that bulimia is having on your life.
Take that first step
To admit that you have a serious problem and that your life is out of control is to face a bulimic. In general, we are perfectionists and the idea that something has control over our lives can take many, many years to assimilate.
The first step is to admit the problem and recognize that you need to make a change. The next of my bulimia tips is to share this with someone in your life. Be it a friend, a family member, a social worker, a therapist. Reinforcing your commitment to getting help by telling someone about it and your commitment to making a change is very powerful. You will be amazed at the sense of relief you will feel. As scary as it may sound, telling people about your problem will give you the strength to overcome it.
When you put into words what is happening, the true enormity of your problem will become apparent to you. It will also help you identify and acknowledge feelings that you weren’t even aware of.
Telling someone is one of my important bulimia tips, because sometimes we lack the objectivity to see what is happening in our own lives. The telltale symptoms of bulimia are there, but you may not be able to see them. Not only will a friend help you see the effects of bulimia in your life, but they can also be a support for you as you work your way to recovery.
When I told my first friend about my bulimia, I was surprised to learn that she, too, had suffered from an eating disorder earlier in her life. The scary part was when he was thinking about what to say and how scared he was about how he would react. I can honestly say that I never told someone that I had bulimia and that they reacted in an unsympathetic way. Most are shocked and surprised, but compassionate because they understand how difficult it must be to live that way.
It may seem really difficult, even humiliating, to admit you have a problem, but if you’re going to take advantage of these bulimia tips, then you need to take that all-important first step. Admit your addiction and then tell someone you care so that you can begin your recovery process right away.