You can recover from bulimia but it may be a long and difficult process. The types of treatment that can be offered to help with bulimia include psychological treatments and medication. Treatment usually begins with psychological treatments, aimed to help you to re-establish healthy attitudes towards eating. If medication for bulimia is suggested by your GP, it is usually taken in addition to psychological treatment.

Psychological treatments

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most common type of psychological treatment for bulimia, and involves talking with a therapist.

CBT will help you to look at your emotions in detail and to work out new ways of thinking about situations, feelings, and food. It may also involve keeping a food diary which will help to determine and assess the triggers for your binge-eating.

Interpersonal therapy (IPT)

As with CBT, interpersonal therapy (IPT) involves meeting with a therapist to discuss your condition. However, the focus is more on your personal relationships than your problems with food. You are more likely to be referred for this type of psychological treatment if you have recently lost a loved one, and have experienced a big change in your life. The aim of IPT is to help you to establish supportive relationships. This can help to draw your focus away from eating.

Medication

The medications used are known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs are a group of antidepressants that include:

• fluoxetine (brand name Prozac)
• paroxetine (brand name Seroxat)
• citalopram (brand name Cipramil)
• escitalopram (brand name Cipralex)
• fluvoxamine (brand name Faverin)
• sertraline (brand name Lustral)

SSRIs are mainly used to treat depression, but they are also used to treat eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and social phobia.

These medicines can take two weeks or more to have an effect, so it important that they are taken regularly. It is best not to take SSRIs if you have epilepsy, or a family history of heart, liver or kidney disease.

Hospital treatment

Bulimia is not usually treated at hospital. However, if you have serious health complications and your life is at risk, you may be admitted to hospital. Hospital treatment is also considered if you are at risk of suicide or self-harm.