parent with child suffering from bulimia HELP

[summerdaisy]

I am really finding it hard how to handle this situation if that is the right word.... I am saying the wrong things and worried I am making things worse,,,, I AM FEELING SO HELPLESS

[DontCareIfItHurts]

I'm not a parent myself, but I've had loved ones suffer from bulimia so I can imagine at least part of the anxiety you must be feeling right now. My biggest advice to you is LEARN ALL YOU CAN ABOUT THIS CONDITION. Go onto all the official ED sites if you haven't already, learn the facts, learn what this is about. Trust me, you'll feel better understanding it, even if some of the things you find out seem frightening... don't read trashy online gossip, just reputable medical sites.

The other big thing is not to try to FORCE your child to stop. Watching them like a hawk at meals, following them to bathroom - it's only gonna make things worse and damage your relationship. Eating disorders are all about control, and if you take even more control out of your child's life it's just gonna make them angrier and more miserable.

Let your child know you love them and care about them and want to help - no pressure, just love and acceptance. A lot of people feel like freaks when their parents or friends have found out about their ED. Let your kid know that no matter what, you love them.

Get counselling - not just for your child but for both of you. You say you don't know what to say and that's normal, noone does in your position. A counsellor could help you find the right words to say and give you the advice you need. Even calling an eating disorder support line might be helpful. I don't know where you live so I can't give numbers but it's all on the internet. The important thing is to figure out why your child is doing this. Being thin is never the whole story - there's always some underlying cause like insecurity, depression, trauma etc.

That's all I can think of right now - learn more, talk to a professional, and let your child see that you aren't an enemy - you're on their side.

I really, really hope you both come through this OK.

[Lizzie123]

Get your daughter to find out what triggers a binge and this could help her stop. Bulimias been linked to serotin levels being low, and eating food quickly increases sertonin. Anti depresants have been known to treat bulimia but i wouldn't recomend them as it's not dealing with the pyschological problem. Cognitive Behavioural therapy should hopefully solve this if she finds it hard to manage herself.

[pitypeace]

Help her eat healthy as in, not tempted to binge... and let her go swimming and if its a regular than talk things out not in a akward way!!:mad: make her feel good about herself..