Bulimia

Whilst we might all overindulge at times, people with bulimia are caught in a cycle of eating large quantities of food (called bingeing), and then trying to compensate for that overeating by vomiting, taking laxatives or diuretics, fasting, or exercising excessively (called purging).

During a binge, people with bulimia don’t feel in control of how much or how quickly they’re eating. Some people also say that they feel as though they’re disconnected from what they’re doing. The food eaten during a binge may include things the person would usually avoid. Episodes of bingeing are often very distressing. People with bulimia place strong emphasis on their weight and shape, and may see themselves as much larger than they are.

This very obviously suggests that there is an imbalance, a distress signal from the body, mind or spirit saying ‘look, I can’t cope’.  Rarely is there a straightforward connection between with outer symptom and the deeper cause.

As with any addictive or compulsive behaviour restoring a sense of control is the first step in treating the condition.  In Chinese Medicine the concept of ‘Possession’ is one that was well understood and the treatment protocol can give a person back a sense of being in control, but importantly gives the practitioner access to restore balance

As with Anorexia there could be any number of reasons why a person might find comfort in food to a point of binging.  An inability to appreciate the abundance that is available to them might typically encourage over indulgence.  Equally a deep seated morbid fear for survival might encourage a need to eat compulsively.  Comfort eating can be triggered by a joyless existence or a profound sense of purposelessness, each of which can be attributed to an imbalance in the elements.  Restoring this balance can help address the underlying cause and enable the person to rebuild healthier habits.