Helping a Friend Family Member or Significant Other Overcome Bulimia

             <b>Remember Bulimia is difficult to detect</b>

Signs of Bulimia Nervosa often include, but are not limited to

Secretive behavior
Money unaccounted for (spent on food)
Evidence of a lot of junk food, including wrappers and empty containers
Food that disappears rapidly
The Individual disappears shortly after meals (People purge in the shower, bath, toilet, or in a bag in their room)
Marks on the backs of the fingers (from sticking their fingers down their throaght to vomit)
The person seems excessively concerned with weight
The Individual’s cheeks are swollen (Indicating swollen Salivary glands from purging)
Their weight fluctuates a lot within a short period.
They Hide food in their room
They seem moody, depressed, withdrawn, irritable
There are signs they are not feeling well physically (bloating, constipation, acid reflux, fatigue)
There have a lot of diet books
Medical tests reveal dehydration and or low potassium
Evidence of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, diet pills
Vomit in bags hidden in the room

by Jill Cohen, M.S.W., LCSW

Comments are subject to approval and editing by The Center for Growth Staff.

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