eating disorder treatment?

Question

I am wondering, if I want to be treated for my eating disorder in college, will I have to pay for treatment??? I cannot afford it now and obviously will not be able to afford it then, but I have been bulimic for 5 years and worry that it will become extremly bad in college without my parents there for me to worry about catching me.......does anyone know anything about this??? Please help, I need some advice.

Answer 1

HOW can you help yourself if you have bulimia?
A Message
First of all, you cannot do this alone. The incredible amounts of strength it requires to fight bulimia cannot be found in only one person. If you are bulimic, you MUST tell someone you trust. You must allow people to help you recover, conquer, and live. Having said this, it is also important to note that, while a friend or relative can help you, no one can fight bulimia for you. You must be the one to "choose life." You must be the one to say "I am strong enough to win, to conquer the bulimia." Others have done and so can you. It is hard but it is worth it. You are worth it. When you feel a binge coming on, do something else. For suggestions try http://www.mirror-mirror.org/altbin.htm. For more tips on self-management, or what a person with bulimia must do to make the fullest possible recovery go to http://www.noah.cuny.edu/illness/mentalhealth/cornell/conditions/bulimia.html
And remember, as Dylan Thomas said, Do not go gentle into that good night

The typical person vulnerable to developing bulimia hides what they feel inside frequently and is a people pleaser. More so than with cases of anorexia those vulnerable to bulimia care deeply about what others think about them. A past history of on and off dieting is common, as well as problems controlling their impulses. Often people vulnerable to bulimia tend to experience more irrational and erratic emotions than those with anorexia, which leads to the problem of controlling the impulses of dieting, and binging and purging.

why.it.happens

Just as with anorexia, society gives the impression that to be liked (something the person vulnerable craves) you have to be thin. To be thin equals power and respect and money and love and attention. That alone can trigger bulimia, and because those vulnerable to developing this eating disorder veer from one extreme to another in every aspect of life, they eventually plunge head into the problem.

Something so powerful and deadly as bulimia is not based around mere society, however. In the family of someone vulnerable there is usually chaos. Emotions are erratic and scattered and the person isn't taught how to deal with things very well. It is often noted in bulimia cases that the mother has been the type to diet constantly herself, and more so than anorexia there tends to be a past history of sexual abuse.

Somewhere the feelings of unworthiness and failure build and erode the person's self-esteem, whether that be the person feeling inadequate in the eyes of their parents or perhaps even the eyes of a significant other. Food brings comfort at first, but then eventually guilt over having eaten the food hits the person, and purging brings relief into the person's body and mind. Purging also creates a false sense of control, as well. Knowing that they can basically eat what they want and just bring it all up later helps the person feel better and in control of what they allow their bodies to have and digest.

As with anorexia, the person with bulimia will measure everything by one object - their bodies. Their body and their weight will commonly measure whether the day will be good or bad, and whether they are allowed to eat. Often times someone with bulimia will completely avoid food during the day, but usually by nightfall the person ends up binging, or otherwise eating anyways, and then purging. A cycle of trying to starve and/or diet during the day but then eating and purging at night is not uncommon. The person with bulimia then feels even more of a failure as they believe that they can't even get "dieting" right.

why.it.goes.untreated

Because bulimia does not cause someone to lose an extraordinary amount of weight it is generally an easy disorder to hide. The person with bulimia will often only purge at night or when they take showers so that no one can hear them vomiting or see them binge. With anorexia there tends to be more extreme deteriorations of the body on the outside, whereas with bulimia much of the physical damage is done on the inside. As a result it isn't uncommon for someone to live with this disorder for many years before being caught or finally going to someone for help. This also increases the amount of denial that someone with bulimia has. Since medical problems from the bulimia don't surface as quickly or as readily apparent as with anorexia, the person with this disorder often is unable to believe that it is "that bad."

Another one of the many reasons people who suffer from bulimia don't go for help is because they feel ashamed. Let's face it - in this society people with anorexia are almost put on pedestals. Sure we are shocked at how emaciated someone could get, but at the same time we have a morbid fascination with their extreme self control and destruction. People regard purging as utterly gross (which it is, but that does not make the person suffering is gross) and believe that people with bulimia just have a lack of self-control, and that's it. So, to keep people from thinking less of them, someone suffering will hide their problem. They also fear the threat of weight gain. I wont lie and not say that stopping purging right away will bring some weight gain, but the person suffering won't wait long enough for their metabolisms to straighten out, and will continue the behaviors without speaking to anyone. Then, just as with anorexia, if the family of someone with bulimia is not supportive when the person does ask for help, then that makes it next to impossible for them to get treatment to stop the vicious cycle. Yet another problem those with bulimia face is being unable to see themselves correctly. Just as those battling anorexia, someone with bulimia cannot see themselves as they are in reality when they look in the mirror. They only see someone who is too fat, full of flaws, and a failure.

when.the.time.comes...

You or the person you know with this problem must be willing to work together with a therapist in order to get better. When trying to stop alone the person with bulimia often believes that the binging is the only problem, so they solely work on restrictive eating. Inevitably they get too hungry and binge anyways, which leads to a trip to the bathroom. The key to treating bulimia is not self-control. This sounds like a problem that is basically just a fight with food, when in reality it is a battle with the self and self-esteem inside of a person. You must deal with the issues that are triggering you to eat and purge for comfort, and you must be willing to put up a fight. Remember that eating disorders are addictions, and it will require a lot of TEAMWORK between you and a therapist to finally win this battle.

When you or someone you know is ready to come forward for help, usually group therapy is the first place to go. Because so many people with bulimia feel incredibly guilty and ashamed, it is usually a helpful experience to talk with others that also suffer, just to know that you or the other person is not alone and has nothing to feel bad about. Overeaters Anonymous tends to show promising results for compulsive overeaters and people with bulimia, but if you are not a Christian you might have trouble following the 12 step program. Individual therapy is key to fully recovering. It is tough to deal with the issues that someone with bulimia has locked away inside all these years, but they must be dealt with so that you or the person does not have to constantly go back to binging and purging as a way to comfort and bring relief to internal pain. As with anorexia, usually family therapy is suggested for those patients who are under 16 or 18 years of age and have bulimia

Answer 2

I think all eating disorder treatment programs are different, but almost all are very sucessfull. I'm SO sorry you're having to suffer with an eating disorder. There IS hope! I have just almost recovered from anorexia, you just have ti trust your docs etc. I was worried that they were going to make me fat, but as they said they DON'T want you to get fat as if you did you would just go back to the anorexia! So they want to help you get healthy and maintain a healthy weight, and, most importantly, get your life back! There are SO many more important things than food and weight! I found recovery relativly easy once I truly decided I wanted to change. The part I find more difficult is preventing re-lapse, it is something I battle everyday, but I would like you to know recovery IS possible, and the closer you get to a healthy weight the better! Also, I would like to encourage you to try to recover ASAP as it would be wonderful if you could avoid lots of long term health problems! Thinking of you and wishing you strength :-)

Answer 3

Most colleges require that you have medical coverage either thru your parents or as part of your student package. There is usually a student clinic or the college has an association with a health facility.

Why not call colleges and inquire about the health facilities so that you can find out for yourself. These inquiries are normal; right along with inquiries about the sports facilities or academic programs.

Most colleges also have support groups for eating disorders since they are so prevalent. Believe me, you are the umpteenth student dealing with an eating disorder during her college years.

Answer 4

I think You don't need to pay for it. The three things to recover this problem are follows:
1. Admit your problem
2. Discover the emotional background
3. Talk to others, you are not alone.

Answer 5

the best thing to do is join a gym

also watch how much you eat...if you are eating and start to feel full...stop

also eat low calorie snacks in the day so it will stop you from overeating at dinner or lunch

Answer 6

no if you find the right people to help then it won't cost you at all. try the help line for free of the teen disorder line too. they will help you.