WHAT WE TREAT
We understand that bulimia nervosa can feel relentless. The binge/purge cycle can be all-consuming and lead to many adverse consequences. While seeking help may seem frightening, recovery is possible, and we can help you get there.
Our team will guide you through every step of the recovery process, helping you break free from the cycle and rebuild your relationship with food and yourself.
Bulimia is a highly complex and potentially life-threatening eating disorder. People with bulimia secretly eat large amounts of food and lose control over their eating habits, known as binging, and then ‘purge’ the body of this food either by vomiting, taking laxatives, exercising or fasting. Purging is almost always done in secret. Like all addictions and mental health conditions, symptoms can rapidly escalate, with intervals between periods of bingeing and purging shortening and the time spent engaging in these behaviours increasing.
The causes of an eating disorder will depend on the specifics of each person’s life. People suffering from bulimia often exhibit personality traits such as neuroticism, obsessiveness and perfectionism. Undiagnosed co-occurring mental illness, unresolved trauma, low self-esteem, a harsh inner critic, genetics and learnt behaviour (from a parent, sibling or caregiver during childhood) can also contribute to the development of bulimia.
Bulimia will take a huge toll on a person’s physical and mental health. Risks include: kidney failure, dehydration, heart problems, severe tooth decay or gum disease, absent or irregular periods in females, digestive problems, depression and anxiety, substance abuse, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. It is not uncommon for a person’s initial struggle with anorexia or binge eating to evolve into bulimia.
As a person suffering from bulimia rarely exhibits the same signs of malnutrition that someone suffering from anorexia might, it can be very hard to spot. The tell-tale signs are usually puffy cheeks, tooth discolouration, weight fluctuation, blood-shot eyes and calluses on the knuckles from induced vomiting. Other symptoms of bulimia include:
- Consuming an excessive amount of food in a short period while feeling a loss of control.
- Purging through forced vomiting after binge eating.
- Constantly thinking about and planning the next binge and purge cycle, with relief only coming after purging.
- Intense feelings of remorse or embarrassment related to eating habits.
- Experiencing mood disturbances, including sadness, anger, and social withdrawal.
Additional symptoms include:
What are the psychological symptoms of bulimia?
- Only feeling ‘calm’ after a period of purging.
- Having a distorted and increasingly negative body image.
- Feeling a complete loss of control during periods of binge eating.
- Restricting calories, fasting, or avoiding certain foods altogether between binges.
- Use of substances as a coping mechanism, leading to irritability.
What are the physical symptoms of bulimia?
- Regularly inducing vomiting to purge food from the body.
- Using diuretics, dietary supplements, enemas, or laxatives after eating in an attempt to lose weight
- Excessive exercise in an attempt to lose weight
- More frequent and prolonged episodes of bingeing and purging.
- Repeatedly eating excessive quantities of food in one sitting, especially foods the person denies themselves in between binges.
What are the emotional symptoms of bulimia?
- Intense emotions related to eating, leading to a cycle of bingeing and purging.
- Emotional withdrawal and intense mood swings.
- Obsessing over binges and purging – emotional relief that comes only after purging.
- Feeling a complete loss of control during periods of binge eating (emotional overwhelm and helplessness during binge episodes.)
- Emotional instability linked with substance use as a coping mechanism.
bespoke treatment
How we treat bulimia
At Paracelsus Recovery, we understand that bulimia nervosa is a complex disorder that affects both your physical and emotional well-being. We can’t tell you exactly what your four-week stay will involve because every patient receives a bespoke treatment plan tailored to their unique needs. Your treatment programme will be thoughtfully structured, combining a variety of therapeutic elements designed to support you in breaking the binge/purge cycle and addressing the underlying causes of your condition.
Our therapies are specifically chosen to complement one another, ensuring that every aspect of your health is treated: physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Whether through psychotherapy to address the emotional triggers, medical treatments to restore your physical health, or nutritional support to rebuild a healthy relationship with food, we ensure that every facet of your recovery is supported. See below for more details.
Our approach considers the whole person: mind, body and soul
Our priority is to gain a deep understanding of your triggers and to address any underlying factors contributing to the eating disorder, whether emotional, psychological, or physical. Many of our patients also experience co-occurring conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or trauma, that often exacerbate bulimia. We make it a point to address these conditions in tandem, ensuring a comprehensive, integrated treatment approach. By treating all contributing factors, we aim to help you develop robust, long-term coping strategies that will support your healing journey.
A key feature of our bulimia treatment programme is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), a highly effective therapy for eating disorders. CBT helps you identify and challenge harmful thought patterns that contribute to the binge/purge cycle and replaces them with healthier, more constructive ways of thinking. Our therapists will work with you to reframe negative beliefs and behaviours, empowering you to take control of your thoughts and actions. Alongside CBT, we integrate medical treatments to restore your physical health and address any physiological imbalances caused by bulimia, such as nutritional deficiencies, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances. Nutritional therapy is another cornerstone of our approach, helping you rebuild a healthier relationship with food and develop sustainable eating habits.
15+ team members, all dedicated to your health and well-being
A dedicated team of more than 15 experts made up of world-renowned doctors, therapists, and bulimia specialists are here to help you re-find yourself. A crucial member of this team is a live-in therapist, who will be available for emotional support 24/7 throughout the entire programme.
Comprehensive programmes as unique as you are
We shape our treatment programmes to suit your individual needs. Driven by our principle of humanistic pragmatism, our holistic bulimia treatment programmes aim to meet you exactly where you are and provide you with the specific combination of treatment you require.
We can provide treatment for bulimia and any co-occurring mental health conditions with absolute privacy and discretion at our bulimia clinic in Zurich.
FURTHER READING
