Vegan Talk Forums

ionis · Vegan Talk Beginner Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 4

Bulimia
According to wikipedia, Bulimia (actually bulimia nervosa) is a psychological disorder, common especially among young women of normal or nearly normal weight. It is characterized by episodic binge eating followed by feelings of guilt, depression, and self-condemnation. It is often associated with measures taken to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, use of laxatives, dieting or fasting. That’s theoretically.
Practically though, it is a very common “modern package” condition that comes along with our crisis of identity, stress and junk abuse. 90% of the victims are young women but it can strike anyone at anytime. A typical bulimia episode looks like this. She resists some hours or days just thinking about that tempting food in the fridge, can’t hold it no more and snaps, opens it wide and eats like it’s the last time. She does it fast and unconscious until can’t physically stuff in more food. Than, just a couple of minutes later a sudden guilt/depression/physical pain comes over. You just can’t stand it until you vomit or take strong laxatives and promise yourself to eat only carrots and cucumbers from now on. But that is until you can’t take fasting and dieting no more and open the fridge again…
It’s no fun. Encircled in a destructive pattern, you feel miserable; blame yourself, your mood, your genetics…

Now stop! Take a deep breath, exhale and calm down. You are not alone and yes, it’s curable. Here you have 4 simple (but not so easy) steps to take.

Step 1. Take a break, go on a trip somewhere, forget about it, distract yourself, try to.
There are so many things in life aside from your problems, your conditions, your body, your look. There is god, nature, love, sex, or plain stupid chatting to name just a few. It’s a universe of perspectives and activities around you. Clean you brain, think of something different, let it go. This will create that much needed distance between you and your problem. You need that to see the big picture.

Step 2. Become aware. You have to understand a couple of things now.
The media, the society, people around you, parents or even friends might project unrealistic and iconic images impossible to attain for most of us mortals. This process is often hidden and unconscious. But once you accept it, half of the ugly job is done. The internal conflict is born and your integrity lost. Why does it happen? Some do it unconsciously, projecting their own problems over you. But some do it on purpose. If you feel empty you get the urge to fill this gap with a product or thing. It’s good business! Happy people don’t over-consume, so industry driven mass-media will always tend to brainwash us. So, be aware of those alien thoughts like “got to have that to be like that”.

Step 3. Love and accept yourself no matter what. Love is the key to everything. Only loving and accepting yourself here and now, will give you the strength you need to just be who you are as well as to change for the better. It’s a paradox, but it’s true.

Step 4. The natural desire to be better is a normal trait in any human being. But your “sustainable development” has nothing to do with the obsessive urge to “erase” your identity and “look right”. It is never “I should be like this”. On the contrary, you have to evolve naturally. Find ways to enjoy the process, although your goals can still be challenging in order to be motivating.

Step 5. Avoid “the forbidden fruit” syndrome. Plain fresh water can be nasty if the doctor prescribed it, and even the worst junk is tasty if it’s forbidden and craved long enough. Changing your diet and lifestyle or even your body is a long process. And only walking in that direction you will understand that many of your wishes were external and don’t reflect you own inner self. Never forget about the inner side of you. The fastest and the best way evolve is to move slowly, naturally and firmly. The beautiful and the rich are unhappy as you and me if they lose their integrity and “savoir de vivre”.

Ion Iatco

BigBecka · Animal defender Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Posts: 412

Hi Ionis,
This is an interesting and informative post

I know a lot of people (and not just women) who struggle with their weight (though I'm not sure if I would classify them as bulemic). And I hear the number of people with this problem is increasing

Just a thought: some foods can cause you to eat erratically. So, someone may appear to be bulemic when they are not. The sugar syrups and other refined carbohydrates in a lot of processed foods (including breakfast cereals, and low-fat ready-meals) can destabilise your blood sugar levels, and cause you to eat erratically. Red meat and cheese can also have this effect. The excess salt can dehydrate you, which also makes you feel hungry. And as for all the other preservatives and enhancers...

Being vegan forces you to cut down on these types of food.

Do you know if vegetarianism is recommended to people with eating disorders? Or did you post this because of a (percieved) link between veganism and bulemia?

With regard to loving yourself

I found that researching your family history and culture can be very useful. I know a lot of people who wanted to look like perfect aryan supermodels. But now they all take pride in their "scottish" hair, "jewish" nose, "mediterranean" colouring...

ionis · Vegan Talk Beginner Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 4

There is no link between vegetarianism and bulimia. However EVERY person that is changing for the better his/her diet is risking in derailing from the "sustainable path". This means that your hidden mental or physical issues can erupt and scare you. Its like first time looking in the mirror after years of blindness. You need courage, you need selfunderstanding. Im talking from my personal expirience. Im a guy so it is actually a general human problem. One that has its different forms but a similar cause. Love yourself, and right there you are another person sexually, mentally, spritually...

BigBecka · Animal defender Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Posts: 412

I'm sorry to hear you are speaking from experience: I hope you are better now *HUGS IONIS*

I am a little curious... As I said, I know many people who have unusual or obsessive eating habits - eating only undressed salad, for example

. If someone is possibly bulimic, what is the best way to help them?