Question for anyone with bulimia

allwildgirl

allwildgirl

Cathlete
This is a difficult question, but I'm just going to bite the bullet and ask.

Okay, when you get stuck in an awful binge/purge cycle, what tools do you use to help yourself stop and get back to "normal"?

My usual tactics and tricks aren't working and I thought maybe someone else had something I could use that would help.

Thanks.
 
1) I don't let myself be alone.
2) I convince myself that if I'm still feeling the way I am AFTER I work out then fine...ok (by then I'm not in that same mode)
3) I come here

I don't know what your usual tactics and tricks are, and I happened to just read that you are taking a rest day today, and obviously, you are here:) so my things probably won't work for you. I just wanted to share for some reason. For me, something is out of my control, and I'm feeling helpless about something. I've really learned to try to figure it out and talk myself through it.


Brandi

http://www.picturetrail.com/jackieboy
 
:)

Well, coming here or talking with friends is one of mine. So, here I am. I'm forcing myself to take a rest day and it's about killing me, because that's part of how I purge. But I have a rotten cold and I need to try to rest to get rid of it. So far this evening I've managed to stay away from the pantry, partly because I'm talking to a friend on-line, which is helping keep me occupied.
 
I have other behaviors that I must distract myself from, and I just try to stay busy. I clean. I call friends. I e-mail or come here. I go somewhere outside, drive around. I play great music and dance a little. I read to my kids or play a game with my kids (Is Sophie around?). I read a book. Anything sounding good?

Remember how you sometimes are with a reality check for some of US around here...stop and think of what you are doing! Knock it off and be better to yourself! YOU DESERVE IT! Think of how many times you have helped one of us here at Cathe.com and help yourself RIGHT NOW! You have helped more people than you will ever know get through a bad day, or just to smile on any given day! You make a lot of people smile! You are worth it and good enough! and then you smile, too!

Jenn:)
 
Hi Shelley,

I feel very uncomfortable talking about this, but if I can help....
I visualize myself going through the ENTIRE process of the binge, then the purge. I picture myself going through every aspect of it and how it must look from someone else's vantage point. Then I write down all of the health ramifications of these actions and THEN imagine my daughter doing this. This has worked for me about 85% of the time, but if I do go ahead and binge, I force myself to sit through the sick feeling and imprint it. I try really hard to avoid the purge, so that feeling will be vivid.

Also, I have to allow myself small treats every day to avoid feeling deprived and then bingeing.

It is tough, but I know that you can rise to the challenge. Just remember that you are valuable and need to care for yourself the way you care for Sophie.
 
Praying for You

Shelley:

I understand what you are going through right now. By the grace of God, I have walked in victory over binge eating for 2 years and 9 months today! Looking back, I honestly cannot remember a time prior to July 4, 2003, when I was not obsessed with food and/or dieting. I think I came out of the womb with an oral affixation. I sucked a pacifier until I was old enough to chew gum, and I started turning to food for comfort as soon as I was old enough to walk to the refrigerator. When I was not eating, I was chewing gum.

I was put on my first diet when I was 9 years old. That only served to increase my focus on food and my body. I went from one extreme of anorexia (88 to 94 pounds) in high school and purging with laxatives and diuretics in college to the opposite extreme of binge eating my way up to 260 pounds in my 20s. During my darkest hour, I was drinking 18 to 24 cans of Dr. Pepper a day and chewing 100 pieces of gum a day. I was totally addicted to sugar. It was not unusual for me to consume 20,000 to 30,000 calories in a 24-hour period, and I literally ate until I passed out on several occasions. I finally came to the end of myself on July 4, 2003, wrote a letter to the Lord surrendering food and my weight to Him, carefully tied it to a bouquet of helium balloons, and released it. Indeed, it was Independence Day! I have never been the same.

It has taken me 2 years and 9 months to drop 75 pounds because I am not willing to cut my calories too low and risk triggering a binge. I am still 55 pounds above my goal weight. I am fat, but I am free! I may not be fit yet, but I am no longer in bondage to dieting and binge eating. Living fit and free is my ultimate goal. Cathe recently helped me discover a place of balance with my exercise rotation, and I am so grateful because I have a tendency to go to extremes. In fact, I need to go thank her now.

When I am tempted, I pray. I feast on God’s Word. I listen to praise music. I minimize the amount of time I spend thinking about food. That often involves turning off the television to avoid commercials. Advertisers bombard us with images because they know we will desire what we see. I plan and pack meals and snacks ahead of time. From time to time, I take a short vacation from super clean eating when I catch myself starting to obsess over food or my body again. I seek to avoid all-or-nothing perfectionism. I enjoy a free day (but not a binge day!) once a week.

I want to pray before sharing more. I am praying for you now. Freedom is possible. It is hard work, but it is worth it. You are worth it, Shelley! Feel free to send me a PM if you ever need a friend.

Blessings,
Heather B.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).
 
Shelley,

I'm sorry I can't help you, but I wanted you to know that you'll be in my thoughts and prayers. You have a lot of people here who care about you very much. You are a healthy and fit woman and I hope that you will take good care of yourself - for you and for Sophie.

Susan

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." - Anatole France

http://www.picturetrail.com/dogs2birds
 
Shelley,

{{{{{{{{{{BIG HUGS}}}}}}}}}} for you! I'm so glad you posted. It's always best to unburden yourself and let other's help you carry the load. You know we would want to help;-) . If there's anything I can do just let me know. In the meantime, I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Michele
 
Although, I am not currently bulimic, I had been for many years and still have occassional lapses. I will always be a bulimic, because the potential is still there. But, this is what has helped me the most:
I think about how painful it is to purge before I step over the line. When I have forced myself to purge, it has always been painful, hard and severly stressful to my body. It was never easy for me like for some people who purge(so Ive heard), it took hours and I never seemed to get it all back up. The memory of discomfort has saved me many times. Bulimia caused me to isolate myself from people, and become angry at people for interrupting me. If you can step back and think about the consequences, and try to just accept the fact that you have overeaten and try to leave it at that. Hold your belly full of food and think of it as nourishment, and just try to love yourself.

Talking reason to a bulimic in the midst of their episode is pointless. I know that from personal experience. You are the only one who can get you through this.
 
Shelley, I just wanted to send you {{{HUGS}}}, as someone ^^^^ said, you make us smile daily and we want you to smile too. I have no advice because I don't feel qualified to give any on this subject but it looks like you've gotten some good advice ^^^^^. Just wanted you to know I am thinking about you.
 
Thanks, everyone. Special thanks to anyone suffering from this who had the courage to share. I made it through last night okay, and I have this thread to come back to today to help me through the day.

Knowing that y'all are there helps immensely.
 
Shelley, just wanted to say I'm thinking about you. Please take care of yourself, you are the most important person and your family needs you to stay healthy!! You came to the right place because everyone extended some excellent advice. Hugs to you,
 
Shelley,

Sending hugs to you today! You are the girl that wakes me up with a smile everyday and please know how highly you are thought of on this forum!! Please stay strong, healthy and take especially good care of yourself. Also...know that we are here to support you through whatever you are feeling!
 
I am sending so many {{{{hugs}}}}} your way along with a book recommendation......"My Name is Caroline" by Caroline Adams Miller. Another thought.... some daily affirmations may help when you get stuck. A few good daily affirmation books you may want to investigate:

"The Language of Letting Go" - Melodie Beattie
"Inner Harvest" - Hazelden
"Beyond the Looking Glass" - Thomas Nelson (Remuda Ranch)

You can also create a "coping toolbox." Decorate a coffee can and fill it with ideas of things to do like "take a walk" or "read a book." (I'm sure you can come up with millions of wonderful creative ideas.) This way when you feel the urge to binge/purge you can catch yourself by grabbing a slip of paper out of your coping toolbox and make sure you whatever is on that paper before you do anything else.

HTH,
Robin
ETA: I've had a family member who has healed from this so it is possible and don't ever give up!!!:)
 
Jenn - thanks for the boost:) Sophie was in bed last night when I was writing, so I didn't think waking her up to play a game would have been good:)

Kara - thanks so much for replying even though it made you uncomfortable. I truly appreciate it.

fontanic - "Talking reason to a bulimic in the midst of their episode is pointless" Ain't that the truth! Thanks for replying:)

Heather - what an inspiring story. I loved the part about the helium balloons:)

Susan, Michele, Lori, Jane, Debbie, Ellen and Dana - your support means the world. I can't even tell you how much.

Robin - thanks for the book recommendations. I'm heading to the bookstore at lunch and I'll check some of them out.:)

So far so good this morning. My inner voice seems to be working better today.
 
Hey Shelley :)

I don't know anything about bulimia but I still wanted to post encouragement to you and the other's on this thread who suffer with the same.

You are dealing with a very complex issue and I wish you all the strength to overcome it.

Remember, you will always find friends here.


:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
 
Shelley,

I'm sorry I wasn't around yesterday when you posted. I don't feel qualified to speak specifically to bulimia, but I do know you are a most special person who pulls a lot of people "out of the hole" around here.:) I can only imagine you do the same with "face-to-face friends". The fact that you posted about this makes me think you'll pull up too.

Remember, you are the one and only you - you must take care of her.

And keep posting when the going gets tough...one of us will always throw you that rope.:)
 
I almost didn't read this post, not ever having to deal with this issue. I'm glad I did, because it helps me know a little bit more about the amazing women who support each other here every day. And especially you, Shelley. Please feel loved, cherished and prayed for.
 
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