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Expanding awareness and education of eating disorders and advancing recovery through support of creative expression.

What You Should Know About Bulimia Nervosa:

Did you know that three out of 100 women will be affected by Bulimia (and a smaller percentage of men) at one point in their life time? Look around, chances are you know more than one person who is Bulimic or has suffered from it.

Bulimia is a disease that is often swept under the rug and always misunderstood. Eating Disorders in general do not get enough serious attention. Yet, millions and millions of people suffer from them. In an almost perverse way, Anorexia Nervosa is more acceptable in our culture because people can relate to and understand the concept of wanting to be thin. On the other hand, Bulimia, is frightening, unheard of - the act of throwing up is considered shameful and completely misunderstood. So why are so many people suffering from it?

Here's the facts: Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating or experiencing (often concurrent) episodes of quickly eating large quantities of (usually fattening) food and then purging or vomiting. Generally those suffering from Bulimia maintain their weight within 10lbs. but may fluctuate up and down within that range in a short period of time. Much like alcoholism, bulimia is a disease. And it’s a disease that often takes over ones life. Many who struggle with it are unable to stop. It’s an addiction. Bulimics share the common factors of guilt, shame, secrecy, a distorted body-image and low self-esteem. Many bulimics suffer from depression, trauma, abuse, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

Here's what we believe: Bulimia is a coping method that develops from a system that enforced the pattern of restrictions and guilt. Often this pattern disallows people from getting their needs met in healthy ways thus leaving them with this secretive and self-destructive pattern of achieving them.

Food is an easy target. It’s tangible. It easily tricks someone into thinking that they are satisfied. But it’s an illusion. Bulimics share the common factors of guilt, shame, secrecy, but also the inability to fully express who they are without guilt or fear of being "overindulgent" if you will. This is why we believe so many more woman suffer from eating disorders. As young woman we are taught that overindulgence in any form is bad. And that we should restrict ourselves and be less than we are. Bulimics also share the overwhelming feeling of being misunderstood and overlooked. And sadly, the miss-attention from the media only serves to reinforce these feelings.

The media has focused primarily on the aspect of a distorted Body Image as the driving force behind Eating Disorders. Although most Bulimics do have issues with body image, weight obsession is far from being the core of this disease. And this constant yet, hypocritical attention by the media to the issue being body image, misses the point and fails to really understand the nature of Bulimia. Bottom line, it's a very complicated disease that needs to be treated as such -- each individual suffering from Bulimia has their own unique risk factors in addition to the ones they share with other Bulimics. This is a very critical point to stress. We all have our own story.

Payson Road takes a creative approach to recovery by encouraging the use of artistic expression. Through writing and other art forms, people with eating disorders learn how to express their passions and interests. By discovering who they are and learning to nurture their interests and needs they slowly take steps toward breaking the cycle. We are not a treatment center.   We recommend our program in conjunction with therapy.

If you know someone who is Bulimic or if you are Bulimic yourself, their is hope. Check out Payson Road's Online Support Group and its sister support group, Payson Road Friends and Family. You will be amazed how interacting with others facing similar struggles can support you toward recovery. Both groups can be accessed from Payson Road's Resources page at http://www.paysonroad.com/Resources.htm And seek out therapy. There are many professionals out there doing great healing work. People who will take the time to understand you not just your eating disorder. But don't be afraid to shop around for therapists. The right fit is crucial.

Get involved! You can help by simply passing out this information and talking to people about eating disorders. If you know someone who has an eating disorder - support their creativity. Don't hide from the issue. If they don't want to talk about it, encourage them by helping them to nurture their dreams. As simplistic as that sounds, it's a small step on the road to recovery.

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Website designed and administered by Sarah Mason, sarah @ paysonroad.com. Website Logo and Graphics Designed by Tahara Hasan. Payson Road was created Copyright © June 2, 2000. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2000-5 [Payson Road]. All rights reserved. Revised: January 11, 2006.