diets

How to overcome gluttony: get rid of food addiction. Symptoms and treatment of bulimia

Nervous, do you pounce on the refrigerator and start devouring everything indiscriminately? Are you used to "seizing" your problems and can't stop until you empty all the plates? And then reproach yourself for incontinence? It is quite possible that this is not just a bad habit, but a severe eating disorder called bulimia.

In this article, we will dwell in detail on the causes of uncontrolled bouts of gluttony, on the manifestations of this mental disorder, and tell you how to treat it.

What is bulimia

Bulimia in medicine is a disease, which is based on a neuropsychiatric disorder, manifested in uncontrolled eating. A person with this problem is prone to compulsive overeating, i.e. uncontrolled bouts of gluttony, which are accompanied by excruciating hunger, weakness and soreness "in the pit of the stomach." Not surprisingly, a single meal in this state can greatly exceed a person's need for food.

What is characteristic, being subjected to bouts of gluttony, the patient does not give an account of his actions, and then begins to feel guilty and depressed. In general, people with bulimia are extremely concerned about food and their appearance. And here the second characteristic sign of the disease appears, namely vomiting, which a person causes in himself in order to prevent an increase in body weight.

According to doctors, bulimia cannot be considered solely as an eating disorder. This is a serious psychological problem that destroys the patient's life, limits his social contacts, changes his interests and plans for the future, leaving him alone with his misfortune.

When is overeating considered a disease?

It is important to understand here that a strong craving for food does not mean that a person suffers from compulsive overeating. One can speak of a mental disorder only if the patient has several of the characteristic symptoms of the disease at once, namely:

uncontrolled absorption of food, up to pain;
inability to independently stop the process of eating food;
theft and attempts to hide food;
change of periods of gluttony, periods of starvation;
remorse of a person after an uncontrollable bout of gluttony;
excessive physical activity after an attack of overeating, in order to burn the calories gained;
attempts by the patient to give himself an enema or induce vomiting;
swollen cheeks and microdamages of the throat as a result of frequently induced vomiting;
yellowing or discoloration of teeth due to regular contact with stomach acid;
constant smell of vomiting in the bathroom and toilet;
constant fluctuations in weight in the region of 5-7 kilograms.

Tellingly, gluttony attacks in such patients do not occur from scratch, but are a way to deal with negative emotions - frustration, resentment, disappointment, dissatisfaction with life or loneliness. And in this regard, bulimia is very similar to drug addiction. The patient takes food as a dope, which makes him feel better. Like a drug addict, such a person hides his problem for a long time, or denies its fact. And even reckless behavior, like stealing food, also links food addiction with drug addiction.

Causes of uncontrolled binge eating

According to scientists, the development of bulimia is based on genetic disorders in the area of the brain responsible for appetite. However, this disease also occurs in those people who have everything in order with the genes. According to doctors, the following factors can affect the development of this disease:

1. Hereditary factor

30% of patients with bulimia had close relatives suffering from a similar disease, which means that we can say that bulimia is a hereditary factor. Scientists attribute this not so much to genetics as to upbringing, drawing attention to the fact that the patient's family had a distorted idea of food, its significance for the body and the rules for eating.

2. Physiological factor

Bouts of uncontrollable overeating with subsequently caused vomiting seriously affect the balance of hormones. For this reason, it is extremely difficult for doctors to determine whether the hormonal failure has become the starting point in the development of bulimia or is a consequence of the disease.

In any case, the endocrine causes of bulimia include:

increased levels of leptin (a hormone that is responsible for the feeling of hunger);
abnormally elevated levels of cortisol (stress hormone)
violation of the production of serotonin and dopamine (hormones of joy and happiness).

3. Psychological factor

Such psychological character traits as problems with self-esteem, emotional instability, panic fear of gaining weight, as well as mental trauma and previous illnesses can also become a provoking factor in bulimia. Especially often such an ailment is faced by girls who cannot boast of ideal body proportions, as well as those who in childhood were abused by adults, including their parents.

4. Cultural factor

Fashion trends cannot be discounted, because today thin beauties look at us from the pages of glossy magazines, who, with their very appearance, promote the desire to be thin and slender. Artistry is considered the standard of beauty, an indicator of the value and success of a person. In an effort to imitate their ideals, young girls try to lose weight at all costs, and as a result, they become dependent on uncontrolled bouts of gluttony.

Diseases that cause bulimia

It should be noted that the neuropsychiatric disorder in question may be the result of existing diseases. Let's list them.

- Depression. This disorder of the psyche, as a result of which a person becomes bleak and apathetic, can easily lead to bulimia. Gravitating for food, the patient strives to cheer himself up at least for a while.

– Obesity. Excess body mass can also provoke this ailment, because in an attempt to find a slender figure, a person begins to induce vomiting attacks on his own, and subsequently does not notice how he has bouts of compulsive overeating.

- Schizophrenia. There is a form of schizophrenia in which the patient is disgusted with his own appearance and believes that food is harmful to him. Such people may consciously avoid eating and regularly vomit.

- Diabetes. It is no secret that a lack of the hormone insulin leads to the development of diabetes. However, the introduction of insulin into the body in injections has a number of unpleasant side effects, one of which is uncontrolled gluttony.

– Injuries and hemorrhages in the brain. When brain tissue is injured, the consequences can be the most unpredictable, up to an organic personality disorder. In this case, the person's behavior may be inadequate and accompanied by attempts to overeat or induce vomiting.

- Drug and alcohol addiction. In the case of coding from harmful addictions, as well as with prolonged abstinence from taking drugs, the patient can easily become dependent on food.

Myths and facts about bulimia

There are many myths around this disease, and therefore we will consider the most popular of them below.

1. If there is no vomiting, is this not bulimia?

In fact, the absence of vomiting is not a guarantee that you do not have bulimia. Vomiting is just one of the many symptoms of this disease.

2. Bulimics are overweight

Statistics show that people who are prone to uncontrolled bouts of binge eating and inducing vomiting are more likely to have a normal weight, which, however, constantly fluctuates between 5–7 kg.

3. Bulimia only affects young girls.

Men also suffer from this disease, although they are ten times less than ill women. And practice shows that the number of men with bulimia is constantly increasing.

4. After each meal, a person necessarily vomits.

This is another misconception. A person who is prone to uncontrolled binge eating may feel great after an attack and not induce vomiting.

5. Vomiting is needed solely for weight loss and does not cause harm.

You need to understand that bulimia is far from a diet, which means it has nothing to do with losing weight. But it can easily harm the digestive system and heart, as well as aggravate mental problems.

6. Bulimia doesn't kill you.

A fatal outcome in the case of frequently provoked vomiting is quite possible, as a person rapidly loses fluid and develops dehydration, which can negatively affect the functioning of the heart muscle, as well as provoke a rupture of the stomach or esophagus. It is also impossible to exclude the fact that the depressive state of a patient with bulimia can lead him to thoughts of suicide.

7. The best way to beat bulimia is to stop inducing vomiting.

Firstly, if a person is addicted to gluttony and constant vomiting, it will be extremely difficult for him to get rid of this on his own. And secondly, the root of the problem is by no means in the gag reflex, which means that by eliminating it, the disease will simply take on a different form.

Diagnosis of the disease

So, we have decided that bulimia is a dangerous mental disorder that needs to be treated under the supervision of a doctor. But first of all, the specialist must conduct a diagnosis in order to make an accurate diagnosis. This requires:

conduct a survey of the patient, and find out if he is obsessed with food and whether he is prone to uncontrollable overeating and inducing vomiting;
collect a patient's history in order to have an idea of the diseases he had in the past;
identify three or more symptoms of bulimia in him;
take a general and biochemical blood test from the patient, and also check the blood for sugar;
prescribe hardware diagnostics to the patient, in particular, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), conduct an ultrasound of the thyroid gland and take an analysis for sex hormones;
to collect additional information, especially if the patient does not want to speak frankly about his problem, it makes sense to communicate with the patient's relatives.

Only after carrying out all of the above activities, you can recognize a person as sick and diagnose him.

How to deal with bulimia

It is extremely rare that the patient himself turns to the doctor with an existing problem. Usually relatives begin to sound the alarm.

Practice shows that the patient himself can see a doctor only if he has other health problems caused by bulimia. So, for example, with acute pain in the heart, low blood pressure, fainting, severe dehydration or loss of consciousness, such a patient ends up in intensive care, where he is given emergency care. Here, with the help of droppers, the loss of fluid and the lack of necessary microelements are restored in his body, after which he is transferred to the department according to the profile.

In the general department, the patient is examined by a surgeon, especially if such a patient continues to be disturbed by pain in the abdomen or there is feces with blood. Such symptoms may indicate a rupture of the internal organs, which often happens with people who induce vomiting.

The patient is also examined by an endocrinologist, since bulimia has a close relationship with hormonal disorders in the body.

However, the main burden in the fight against bulimia falls on the shoulders of a psychotherapist who prescribes medication to the patient, and in parallel conducts behavioral therapy. Only psychotherapeutic treatment can help to “reach out” to a sick person and convey to him the gravity of the current situation. Practice shows that in a hospital, the patient's recovery occurs in about 5 months. The specialist establishes a clear diet for the patient, which allows you to reduce the number of episodes of overeating to a minimum, which means that you can completely get rid of the existing addiction within a few months.

As for drug therapy, its goal is to replenish the level of vitamins and minerals in the patient's body (primarily magnesium and potassium). In addition, with the help of drugs, the complications caused by bulimia are eliminated. Finally, drug therapy includes antidepressants, designed to improve the patient's well-being and help him regain the joy of life.

What can you do yourself

1. Practice mindful eating

You should not impose bans on food consumption, it is better to build a healthy relationship with food. To do this, use the following practice. Before each meal, hide phones and computers, turn off the TV. Sit at a beautifully set table and look at the food. Eat a couple of bites, chewing slowly, trying to feel the texture, the temperature, the taste of each bite. Pause and listen to your own feelings. Do you feel hungry or gradually increasing satiety? Also slowly eat a couple more pieces. Again, listen to your body. It is important to learn to slowly absorb food, and to understand when the body feels full.

2. Take care of your emotional state

Start paying attention to your state of mind, take care of your emotions. Analyze what you really like, what pleases you and calms you down. Set aside at least one hour a day for yourself to just sit back and do what you enjoy.

3. Rethink physical activity

No need to exhaust yourself in the gym. Find something physically active that you truly enjoy and give it regular attention.

4. Get rid of stereotypes about your weight

You should take it for granted that some people may have a larger body. However, with such a body, people can be happy, loved and find their place in this life. The reasons for your failures lie not in being overweight, but in your head! Also, stop watching programs that praise thinness and give advice on how to fight excess weight.

5. Organize a Support Group

Agree to always have people who love you near you, who will not leave you alone with food addiction and will help you survive severe attacks. With them, you will be able to discuss the problems that concern you, which means that with a high degree of probability you will solve them. By surrounding yourself with love and armed with a positive outlook on life, you will definitely overcome bulimia.
Take care of yourself!

bulimia nervosa(from other Greek. βοῦς - "bull" and other Greek. λῑμός - "hunger") ( wolf hunger, kinorexia) is an eating disorder associated with bouts of overeating. Bulimia is manifested by a sharp increase in appetite, accompanied by an excruciating feeling of hunger and causing uncontrolled food intake and gluttony.

Sometimes bulimia is accompanied by obesity, but more often those suffering from bulimia have normal or even insufficient body weight. As a rule, patients themselves do not seek medical help; relatives bring them to the doctor.

Types of manifestation of bulimia

one-time paroxysmal absorption of a huge amount of food (appetite appears suddenly);
continuous nutrition (a person eats without ceasing);
nocturnal hunger pangs.

After an attack of overeating, the patient usually begins to reproach himself for the breakdown and tries to get rid of what he has eaten with the help of vomiting and laxatives.

Reasons for the development of bulimia

the habit of "jamming" nervous stress;
low self-esteem, social maladaptation;
imbalance of chemicals and hormones in the brain;
heredity.

More often, adolescents with alimentary obesity and disorders of the endocrine system and young girls with problems of a psychological and social-adaptive nature suffer from bulimia.

signs of bulimia

destruction of tooth enamel and gum problems caused by repeated exposure to stomach acid during vomiting;
scratches on one or more fingers, which the patient places in the throat when trying to induce vomiting;
unhealthy skin and hair due to a chronic lack of nutrients, vitamins and trace elements in the body;
irregular menstrual cycle.

Prolonged bulimia causes serious and sometimes irreversible health consequences, disrupting the functioning of all organs and systems.

Symptoms and effects of bulimia

inflammation of the esophagus and parotid salivary gland due to frequent vomiting;
gastritis, prolapse of the stomach;
stretching or tearing of the esophagus:
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
chronic disorders of the intestines (due to excessive use of laxatives);
symptoms of impaired liver and kidney function;
heart diseases caused by metabolic changes in pathological eating behavior.

Constant overeating and forced emptying of the stomach, combined with weakness of the nervous system or character, can lead to serious complications: from neurasthenia, the destruction of relationships with loved ones and loss of interest in life to drug or drug addiction and death.

Bulimia treatment

Bulimia is classified as a neuropsychiatric illness and is treated with psychotherapy and antidepressants.

In a number of scientific studies in the treatment of bulimia nervosa, the effectiveness of fluoxetine (Prozac), an antidepressant, serotonin reuptake inhibitor, has been proven. In addition, other types of antidepressants are used in people with bulimia, such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, which reduce binge eating and vomiting.

The primary goals of treatment are directed towards the physical and psychological needs of the patient in order to restore physical health and normal food intake. Some patients may require hospitalization, others may be treated as outpatients.

Psychological treatment is aimed at changing the patient's self-perception and teaching self-control. The goal of treatment for the patient is to accept himself for who he is and lead a physically and emotionally healthy life.

Many patients benefit from group therapy, as bulimics often feel ashamed of uncontrollable eating lapses. Family members of the patient should also be consulted by a psychotherapist.

Prevention of bulimia

To prevent the development of bulimia, a healthy psychological climate in the family, a stable and safe environment, and the development of a healthy self-esteem in a child are necessary. Food should not be used as a way to reward and punish children. If your child (especially in adolescence) is worried about being overweight and underweight, you need to keep a close eye on his diet and eating behavior so as not to miss the development of a disease such as bulimia.

Bulimia often goes hand in hand with another serious eating disorder, anorexia. One disease passes into another and is, as it were, two opposite phases of the same neuropsychiatric disorder.

Body mass index (BMI)

First of all, we define the starting point. You need to soberly, without hiding or embellishing anything, keep a food diary: how, when, what and how much you eat. For 2 weeks. At the same time, you should eat as always, without trying to reduce or reduce anything: honesty and accuracy are important here. Then carefully you need to calculate (this can be done by a doctor) calories. And you will see what calories your body is used to. Next, we calculate the body mass index:

BMI = body weight in kg / (height in m2).
A BMI of 18.5 to 25 is considered normal.
Less than 18 (up to 15) - underweight.
From 25 to 30 - excess body weight.
From 30 to 40 - obesity.
From 40 to 70 - significantly pronounced obesity.

Calorie. Calorie content. The rate of calorie intake

A calorie is an off-system unit of heat quantity. A kilocalorie is equal to 1000 calories. Caloric content - the amount of energy, expressed in kilojoules or kilocalories, that the body receives when oxidizing 100 g of a food product.

To determine your daily calorie requirement, you can use the following formula: 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age).

Now determine your activity level. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, multiply the resulting number by 1.2; if you go to the gym 3-5 times a week - by 1.5, and with more intense loads by 1.7.

As a result, you will get the minimum daily calorie intake based on your activity level.

What is metabolism? In simple terms, this is the rate at which our body converts the substances contained in food into energy or calories. Thus, the eaten sandwich is converted into a substance called glucose. But if at the moment the body does not need energy, calories will turn into fat. If you satisfied the legitimate hunger, they will go without a trace to maintain the work of all organs and systems. Hence the “golden rule” of metabolism: if you don’t want to gain extra pounds, don’t consume more calories than you can use.

Going on a diet, you should not overstrain. The formula for success: without harm to the body, you can lose no more than 4-5 kg per month, and no more than 3 months in a row - then you need to take a break for 1-2 months. Of course, this "change" does not give the right to return to the past way of life. If you part with hateful kilograms faster, you will soon be hit by a rebound: the excess weight lost by such efforts will quickly return, and the body will begin to fiercely accumulate new reserves.

To achieve the desired effect, you just need to limit yourself to food, removing ... 600 kcal. After all, we are interested in a LONG-TERM result, that is, for the rest of our lives we do not intend to return to where we started. If we go on strict diets (all day - from 700 to 1200 kcal), then, losing much more - about 1000 kcal per day - we are slowly but surely moving towards dietary depression. By the way, a 100-gram piece of butter is, on average, 650-750 kcal. And vegetable oil is the same fat: it does not contain cholesterol, but no one canceled the fat content of this product.

It should be noted that in order to meet the normal needs of the body in trace elements, it is necessary to receive approximately 5000 kcal per day (since our today's food is very poor in microelements). Therefore, on low-calorie diets, you need to try to ensure a balanced diet.

Ask yourself the question: "Why?" - this is the main question that needs to be answered honestly before putting another piece in your mouth. Figure out if hunger drives you or the desire to drive away longing-sadness?
The psychological support of a specialist, the company of like-minded people, the support of relatives is very important.
Significant positive results in the first few weeks can open up a second wind.
You can not endure severe hunger (you need to eat 4 times a day, and the last time - 2 hours before bedtime).
You should not go grocery shopping (this is a real chance to buy extra, or even unplanned snack on the go).
Reward system - give yourself gifts for every small victory.
Eat at a set table (there should be a strictly defined portion on the plate - and no more).
Eat slowly.
Chew food thoroughly (make at least 20 chewing movements).
Sit up straight.
Watching TV during the meal is strictly prohibited.
Wanting to drink and wanting to eat are not the same thing.
Plan your menu and try not to go out of your way.
Do not provoke situations when it will be difficult to resist the temptation to eat your favorite dish.

Literally translated, bulimia means "unbearable hunger, gluttony." People suffering from this disorder tend to feast orgies, during which they lose all measure. Most of them try to get rid of it and its calories immediately after eating, by causing themselves to vomit, taking diuretics and laxatives, or strenuously doing sports and physical exercises. How to deal with gluttony and treat bulimia - read in this article.

Bulimia: causes

Bulimia is often compared to addiction. Persons prone to gluttony, like alcoholics, experience a feeling of guilt and shame after each excess. Many make a vow to themselves to “never do it again” but find themselves unable to cope with their attraction. Willpower alone is not enough.

How and why does bulimia start?

Sometimes bulimia develops during a fasting cycle, when the hunger and refusal to eat becomes unbearable. Then a person falls into the opposite extreme and uncontrollably tries to control his weight, resorting to artificial vomiting, taking laxatives and diuretics.

It is believed that about a quarter of those suffering from bulimia have suffered from anorexia in the past. In some cases, patients with bulimia have previously failed to keep their weight low with the help of a diet. This means that, despite repeated attempts, they never lost enough weight to be considered anorexic.

In most cases, the situation develops like this: a young woman who would like to lose weight, but has never resorted to a special diet, learns from her friends about the possibility of controlling her weight by vomiting or taking laxatives and diuretics.

These methods seem to her not only "the easiest way to become slim", but also correspond to the measures taken in certain groups of society for losing weight. This partly explains the high prevalence of bulimia in colleges (between 1 and 5% of all female students) and among highly skilled young women in their 20s and 30s.

Bulimia usually begins in adolescence, somewhat later than anorexia, although its first manifestations are possible between the ages of 13 and 30 with little more. As well as among patients with anorexia, the majority are women. The onset of bulimia is most often associated with dieting.

For the occurrence of bulimia, there is no single cause that could be considered responsible for the development of the disease. The factors that cause these behaviors are often similar to those that lead to anorexia.

In addition, some researchers note low self-esteem, conflicts associated with a feeling of dependence on someone, the need to prove oneself. Numerous studies have confirmed the link between bulimia and depression.

Despite the fact that some experts consider bulimia a form of affective disorders, this hypothesis is considered scientifically unfounded. In patients with bulimia, disturbances in the perception of taste, feelings of hunger and satiety have been established, which, however, cannot be considered the consequences of successive periods of fasting and overeating.

Symptoms and signs of bulimia

The consequences of bulimia for the body can develop in a wide range from mild to deadly, although in the vast majority they proceed relatively "benignly" compared with changes in anorexia. Overeating can be just as burdensome as trying to lose weight. However, it causes less harm to the physical condition, and the mortality from it is very low.

In contrast to anorexia, harm is not caused by weight loss, but by measures that are taken to lose weight, i.e. the use of laxatives and diuretics. Quite often, menstrual irregularities are observed, but they are not as pronounced as in patients with anorexia. Due to frequent contact with hydrochloric acid, tooth enamel suffers due to artificial induction of vomiting. Therefore, the initial diagnosis of bulimia is often made by dentists.

The parotid salivary glands (those that swell with mumps), located in front of the ears, may become enlarged due to frequent vomiting. Therefore, the face appears more rounded. This feature is very cleverly used by women seeking to lose weight and causing themselves to vomit after an attack of gluttony. Since they look fatter because of this, they can more easily deny significant weight loss.

Abuse of laxatives can cause serious complications, as it often leads to dependence on them. When patients decide to give up laxatives, it takes several months for normal bowel activity to recover.

Bulimia can also cause certain crises that require emergency hospitalization. Potentially life-threatening conditions include abnormal heart rhythms due to metabolic fluctuations, esophageal ruptures due to vomiting, and gastric perforations due to overeating. Deadly muscle and heart damage can be caused by overuse of drugs that cause vomiting.

Symptoms and treatment of bulimia. signs of bulimia

Bouts of gluttony.

After eating, the patient immediately goes to the toilet or sits in the bathroom for too long.

The patient pretends not to know where the missing foods have gone.

The patient denies that something is wrong with him, but shows depression, aggression, fear.

Behavior changes

Bulimic women, just like alcoholics, are concerned that they may run out of food. They stock up on groceries and often steal ready meals (and convenience foods) or the money to buy them. Sometimes they almost tyrannize their loved ones, demanding that the family keep a stock of food that no one dares to touch.

Compared to anorecic women, who do not manage to hide their illness so easily and who are mostly proud of their self-control and the weight loss achieved, bulimic women keep their intentions secret and make every possible effort to ensure that their behavior does not cause family members have no suspicions.

They themselves see their periods of fasting and overeating as contradictory and destructive. Some call it "my dirty little secret." One who is prone to orgies of gluttony will often stubbornly deny this fact, even if irrefutable evidence is presented to him.

Bulimics fear their inability to cope with binge eating. They often have features of obsessive behavior, characteristic of anorexics, but they are less likely than the latter to be isolated from society and sexually more active. Unlike anorexics, they are more prone to addiction to psychoactive substances and alcohol and are more likely to have great difficulty when it comes to controlling impulsive behavior.

In some cases, self-mutilation and suicidal thoughts or attempts are observed.

Bulimia: treatment

First of all, the efforts of doctors are focused on the development of a special diet. Behavioral therapy deals with deeper mental problems. Bulimics are asked to describe their eating habits and are taught to register their emotional state before each binge.

In this way, they learn to recognize the signals that precede a binge attack, whether it be a stressful situation, loneliness, boredom, or a long period of time without eating. Patients are taught to cope with these situations through exercise, work, or the support of others. It is very effective to work with nutritionists to help plan a nutritious and healthy diet.

Women with bulimia benefit greatly from their participation in self-help groups. Recently, doctors have successfully used some antidepressants in the treatment of bulimia, regardless of whether the patient is currently experiencing signs of depression.

How to overcome gluttony

If you consume a huge amount of food without realizing and almost unconsciously, this behavior can be called gluttony. When you begin to pay attention to the reasons why you have a strong desire to eat, consider that you will soon have an answer to the question of how to overcome your gluttony.

Entire institutes are engaged in issues of weight loss and the fight against gluttony, because this is the world problem of the century. It seems that you have been programmed, on autopilot, your hand reaches for the next portion of sweets, cookies, chips, nuts ... Scientists interviewed a thousand people, and here are the reasons for endless snacks they named:

The main reason that provokes something to eat is the usual boredom.

Guided by the desire to treat yourself or reward yourself, a large amount of sweets is eaten.

Spontaneous gluttony distracts from depressive thoughts and cheers up.

TV is the most insidious instigator of overeating. Under the broadcast of the "box" a large amount of food is eaten imperceptibly. And 22% of fat people do not eat at the table at all, they eat only in the company of television programs.

Long holidays, weekends or vacations that you spend alone at home are the strongest provocateur for overeating and your legs themselves carry you to the refrigerator.

Nutritionists believe that unconscious overeating is one of the most difficult obstacles in the fight against excess weight. And yet, they know how to overcome their gluttony and give the following advice:

Pick an activity you enjoy that can distract you from your constant thoughts about food and captivate you so much that there is a limited amount of time left for food. It can be needlework, photography, dancing, get a dog, cosmetics, makeup.

Try to get out of the routine walls of everyday life, gradually expand your horizons. Have you read an interesting book lately? Of course, because TV has replaced books, museums, and even travel. Get out of your hardened shell! Visit museums, theaters, meet new people and try to spend as much free time with them as possible. Then you definitely won’t have enough time for the blues, stupid TV viewing and the question: “how to overcome your gluttony” will disappear by itself.

Plan and be sure to implement, one joy per day. For example, buy a bouquet of lilies of the valley near the metro, find a book in the library that you have long dreamed of reading, go to a beautician, a hairdresser... Going to a boutique is a universal remedy that can relieve depression and provoke you to give up excesses in food.

How to overcome gluttony

Overeating leads to excess weight, which in turn can cause health problems. Therefore, it is important at the initial stage to do everything in order to avoid such a situation. You need to know how to successfully deal with gluttony.

In most cases, gluttony occurs on the basis of stress due to the peculiarities of the human psyche. And it's mostly women who suffer from it. The perception of food as a pleasure, salvation from a bad mood and a simple distraction gradually leads to a negative habit - gluttony.

The relationship is due to instincts, when the main problem of people was the lack of food. That is why there is a desire to satisfy hunger. With frequent overeating, the stomach is stretched and impulses are dulled, indicating the onset of satiety. Gluttony develops, which is often very difficult to stop. However, there are still methods that have a positive effect on the human psyche.

To successfully fight overeating, it is important to develop a daily diet and learn to distinguish between the real hunger of the body and the simple desire to eat something delicious. So the desire to eat the piece of cake left over from lunch shortly after eating cannot arise due to the fact that the body is already hungry.

In order to have a clear idea of the reasons for the appearance of the desire to eat, you should start a food diary. At each unplanned meal, a record of the food eaten and the sensations that were present before and after the meal should be recorded.

If overeating occurs due to stress, you should be distracted by all possible ways that previously brought pleasure - walking, chatting with friends, enjoying music.

Striving for a healthy lifestyle and exercising can help relieve bouts of binge eating and help you deal with stress or depression more quickly.

If you want to successfully fight gluttony, it is useful to focus on the process of chewing while eating, to make it longer. This will help you lose interest in food faster.

First of all, it is necessary to refuse junk food - fatty, high-calorie, as well as sweets, chips and soda.

Following a balanced diet, planning meals at a certain time will help get rid of overeating.

In some cases, gluttony appears from childhood and over the years it is very difficult to get rid of it. Gluttony can also develop with hormonal failure in the body. It is also one of the symptoms of depression, which should be treated separately.

Problems with eating behavior do not haunt people as often as colds and flu, but being able to recognize them at an early stage is just as important. What the symptoms and treatment of bulimia look like, what causes uncontrolled overeating and how to cope with an attack - a modern person needs to know the answers to these questions in order to be fully armed when faced with the first manifestations of the disease in themselves or loved ones..

What is bulimia

In official medicine, there is an alternative name for this disease - kinorexia, among its main symptoms is uncontrolled appetite. From a simple craving to overeating, it differs in constancy, and bouts of gluttony can be replaced by an obsessive desire to cleanse the body. According to the medical classification, bulimia can be:

Primary - frequent bouts of hunger, a constant desire to chew something.
Secondary - against the background of anorexia, with a mandatory attempt to get rid of the food eaten.

It is difficult to differentiate the stages of this disease, since here the role is played not by the duration, but by the intensity of the manifestation of symptoms, the frequency of remissions and exacerbations, and the characteristics of human behavior. The most common classification:

Initial stage: patients cause vomiting up to 3 times a month, the disease has been present for 3 years.
Chronic disease: lasts about 5 years, the frequency of occurrence of an attack is daily, or for 7 years several times a week.

Gluttony as a disease

In a mild form with rare overeating as the only symptom, bulimia is not considered a serious pathology., since it can be a one-time reaction of the body to external psychogenic factors (mainly to severe stress). However, if the symptoms of the disease recur from day to day, a person feels a constant craving for taking laxatives, or people with normal weight feel guilty for every bite of food, but cannot stop, this is already a mental disorder fraught with complications.

What happens to the body during an attack of bulimia

For a person who has symptoms of bulimia, food becomes a drug, the dose of which, due to the disappearing feeling of satiety, has to be constantly increased. Overeating episodes and endless snacking are observed with increasing frequency. However, a person is aware of the abnormality of the diet, so a feeling of guilt constantly lives inside for what he has eaten, which at the same time gives rise to a new attack of hunger and the need to cleanse the body - the circle closes.

As a result, the body experiences dehydration from constantly induced vomiting, mucous membranes are injured, and uncontrolled intake of laxatives causes problems with the intestines.

Reasons for overeating

According to medical statistics, doctors in people with bulimia mainly diagnose the psychological cause of the development of an eating disorder, especially when it comes to women aged 15-16 and 22-25 years. Bulimia is especially prone to people with emotional instability. There are also physiological factors that provoke the disease:

insulin resistance;
the presence of hormonal disorders (mainly hypothalamic-pituitary insufficiency);
damage to the food center in the cerebral cortex (injuries);
metabolic syndrome.

If we consider exclusively bulimia nervosa, which is considered the most common, there are several groups of causes that can provoke it. The pressure of a society that has become obsessed with thinness in recent years can lead to a mental eating disorder. A family factor is also not ruled out - poor relationships with parents, a painful desire for perfectionism, attempts to follow other people's expectations often accompany the disease.

signs

The group of eating disorders is very broad, but it is not difficult to recognize the characteristic symptoms of bulimia. So, bulimia is characterized by a lack of control of behavior (unlike anorexia), which can lead to excessive consumption of not only food, but also drugs. The main symptom of this disease is constant overeating, but in addition to it, the undoubted signs are:

manic weight control;
constant thoughts about food;
dependence of self-esteem on appearance (figure, body weight);
regular attempts to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract;
exhausting exercise for weight loss.

Obsessive thoughts about food

The mind of a bulimic is almost always occupied exclusively with food: from the endless planning of breakfast, lunch and dinner, to the desire to constantly throw something into his mouth. An extra half an hour or an hour spent without food already makes it necessary to urgently eat tightly, even when there is no physiological hunger. If attempts to distract consciousness do not bring success, it is time to urgently treat bulimia: this is no longer the beginning.

Talk about healthy eating and weight loss

The modern trend towards natural food and a pumped up body is not dangerous in itself. However, a psychologically healthy person, striving for a beautiful figure and the rejection of "harmful", knows the limits and limits of his abilities, and a bulimic sufferer goes to the extreme: he trains to exhaustion, tries only useful things, but constantly breaks down on high-calorie foods and then diligently provokes vomiting or sits on laxatives.

Sharp fluctuations in weight

Severe emaciation is predominantly characteristic of anorexics, and bulimia is considered a disease that does not provoke large weight loss, but is characterized by its instability. The patient either actively absorbs food, or tries to get it out of himself, which leads to disruption of the endocrine system and can cause a sharp decrease and increase in body weight without serious changes in volumes.

Deterioration in general health

Constant nervous tension and stress undermine the body's defenses, so a person becomes open to infections. Often the patient is faced with tonsillitis and pharyngitis. Daily attacks of vomiting, especially with long-term bulimia, lead to serious consequences:

develop diseases of the oral cavity;
teeth crumble;
heartburn and peptic ulcer appear;
scratches and wounds form on the fingers.

Psychological and psychosomatic disorders

Eating disorders and especially obsession with food lead to a constant tension of the nervous system, and if this is accompanied by frequent bouts of vomiting, the body gets severe stress. The result is increased fatigue, reduced concentration, memory impairment, daytime sleepiness, and vice versa - the inability to sleep at night. Due to breakdowns against the background of a craving for a healthy diet, a person develops depression.

Impaired functioning of the kidneys, liver and cardiovascular system

Metabolic shifts provoked by eating disorders are fraught with dangerous heart diseases (convulsions are a common symptom of their onset). No less vulnerable in this situation are the liver and kidneys, which cease to function properly. The pancreas, the rectum suffer less often - the production of bile is disturbed, there are problems with the stool.

Hormonal disruptions

The weight fluctuations and psychosomatic disorders already mentioned above always affect the work of the endocrine and reproductive systems, especially in women, which leads to serious consequences. The “lightest” complication is a decrease in sexual desire and a violation of the duration of the menstrual cycle. As kinorexia develops, amenorrhea and infertility are possible. Here you will need hormonal treatment from an endocrinologist.

How to Diagnose Bulimia

If anorexia, even in a photo, is easy to recognize by an emaciated appearance, then persons with kinorexia outwardly differ little from healthy ones, although the lack of self-control in eating behavior can give them away. Only a doctor is able to make a diagnosis, and the person himself often discovers this ailment in himself only at a late stage, when all the symptoms are present. However, since it is difficult to cure bulimia on your own in a neglected state and it leads to serious consequences for the whole body, you need to monitor:

attitude to food;
weight dynamics;
perception of your body.

Uncontrollable food cravings

Among the key signs of the disease, doctors call overeating, but this word means not only large portions of food during its main meals. Specialists identify 3 forms of this disease (general symptoms and treatment of bulimia will be similar for them):

Sudden appetite, which can appear regardless of the place of stay and time of day.
Night hunger.
Constant overeating (a person endlessly chews something).

The use of inadequate methods of losing weight

Among the symptoms of kinorexia, a person's attempts to get rid of the food he has just eaten stand out especially clearly, as he realizes that he has abused its quantity and daily calorie content. Mostly this happens through constant vomiting, which the patient causes independently and purposefully, but it is also possible to use laxatives or enemas.

Low body weight

In people suffering from bulimia at the initial stage, the weight is often normal - there is no malnutrition typical of anorexics. However, if the disease becomes chronic and has been observed for more than 5 years, due to the constant cleansing of the body against the background of overeating, the patient has constant weight jumps up and down, there are slight deviations from the normal body mass index.

Low self-esteem

When eating habits are disturbed due to social and family factors, doctors often diagnose problems with the patient's perception of himself. Even with normal weight, a person experiences dissatisfaction with appearance, maniacally strives to lose weight, combining body cleansing after overeating with exhausting physical exertion, against the background of this dissatisfaction, he seeks solace in food.

How to deal with gluttony

A visit to a psychotherapist (not a psychologist!), if the illness has no physiological prerequisites, is the main moment in the fight against kinorexia both in the initial stages of the disease and later. It is almost impossible to get rid of this problem on your own, so you need to discuss the symptoms and treatment regimen of bulimia with a specialist. The patient may be at home, but at a later stage, moving to a hospital is not excluded.

Indications for inpatient treatment

Hospitalization of a person who has symptoms of problems with eating behavior is required if complications with the heart or gastrointestinal tract appear, or if this mental disorder has caused anorexia, a decrease in body weight by 70% of the norm. A doctor may require treatment of a patient in a hospital if:

the appearance of suicidal thoughts;
confusion, complete insomnia;
heart failure;
calcium deficiency;
occurrence of internal bleeding.

Folk remedies

Studying the symptoms and treatments for bulimia, you can turn to herbal medicine, but it gives little effect. It is impossible to defeat the disease exclusively with herbal decoctions, but they help strengthen the nervous system, partially suppress appetite, support the heart, kidneys, liver. Phytotherapy makes sense at any stage of treatment, but resort to it after consulting a doctor.

Methods for treating bulimia

Binge eating attacks occur predominantly in the context of psychological problems, so psychotherapeutic techniques used by a specialist should take center stage in a treatment regimen designed to combat bulimia. The use of medications is more practiced for people with an organic eating disorder, or as an additional moment to the main course of psychotherapeutic sessions in the later stages of the disease.

Psychotherapeutic methods

Doctors call behavioral therapy one of the most effective methods of treating bulimia, in which the patient learns to rethink his actions and beliefs, to cope with situations that are insoluble in his opinion. If we compare this technique in terms of effectiveness with taking antidepressants, then it will be much more effective, but in the later stages of the disease, even drug therapy is added to it. Additionally, doctors may advise:

Hypnosis (more rarely self-hypnosis) - to control the need for food. But he will not eliminate the causes of the development of the disease.
Group psychotherapy sessions - they help the patient to realize psychological dependence, relax in a circle of people with the same problem.
Family therapy - to help the patient develop healthy self-esteem through the support of relatives, but it only makes sense for those who are close to the family.

Medical treatment

In the case of diagnosing diseases of the nervous system and brain, doctors primarily prescribe drugs to solve this problem, and with other prerequisites for a nervous eating disorder, patients take antidepressants and antiemetics. Their independent appointment is prohibited, especially for long-term treatment. The complex treatment includes:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors - Fluoxetine, Citalopram: stimulate serotonin receptors, are used in severe depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Tricyclic antidepressants - Amitriptyline, Melipramine: for the treatment of moderate depression, elimination of appetite disorders, insomnia.
Antiemetics - Cerucal, Domperidone: quickly suppress dopamine receptors, but do not contribute to the treatment of eating disorders.

Non-traditional methods of dealing with the disease

According to doctors, treatment by methods of oriental medicine and several other non-traditional methods does not differ in high efficiency, but can be used as an additional factor to speed up the healing process. Mostly correct treatment for bulimia includes:

reflexology (acupuncture);
art therapy (creative activity to solve psychological problems);
yoga.

What leads to gluttony - dangerous consequences

Primary kinorexia can cause obesity, diabetes, gallbladder and liver malfunction due to uncontrolled eating. However, if it occurs against the background of anorexia, with constant attempts to cleanse the stomach, we have to talk about more severe consequences of bulimia: