How to Help a Friend Who Is Bulimic

An estimated 4.2 percent of women suffer from bulimia, an eating and mental health issue that causes cyclic episodes of binging or eating massive amounts of food and purging to avoid weight gain. Purging is executed through laxatives, diuretics, long periods of exercise or induced vomiting. Helping someone with an eating disorder is no simple task. Bulimic women and men can range from healthy weights to being skeletal. When the person becomes too thin and frail to function properly, it is time to intervene and bring up support or counseling of some form.

Things You'll Need

• Doctor
• Therapist

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Instructions

• 1

  Find a counselor at school, a magazine article or information from the Internet to help you understand the world of eating disorders. Understanding the situation can help you feel more equipped to battle the problem.

• 2

  Question your friend about her eating habits in a nonjudgmental way. Make sure to tell her how much you care about her. Keep in mind that she might see your willingness to help as an intrusion into her life, and she might be ashamed and scared that you are actively trying to take away one of her coping methods -- even as unhealthy as it might be. Simply raise your concerns and give her time to respond. She might not want your help.

• 3

  Give your friend some information that can help her, such as pamphlets, Internet articles and even phone numbers to call counselors and therapists. Offer to go with her to appointments. Don't let her face recovery alone.

• 4

  Model an example of healthy eating while you spend time with your friend. Your modeling might lead her to discover that all food is not scary, there is no need to binge and purge, and she can enjoy eating without gaining weight and becoming obese.

• 5

  Continue to be a friend despite the outcome of your intervention. Whatever her response, continue to be supportive. She might need you later. Remember to keep her in your circle of friends. Call, text and invite her out regularly.