Five months of CBT vs two years of psychoanalytic therapy for bulimia

It’s hard enough to reach out for therapy when suffering from bulimia, but figuring out what kind of therapy to get can be even more overwhelming.  Different therapists have different kinds of training and allegiances when it comes to the therapy they practice.  A new study came out last week in which researchers directly compared two different types of therapy, psychoanalytic and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), for the treatment of bulimia. Interestingly, the lead authors, who practice psychoanalytic therapy, found that CBT was superior.

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How difficulties with pregnancy and childbirth are related to binge eating and bulimia

Many young women with an eating disorder will at some point wonder how their struggles with eating may relate to their ability to have a child in the future. A new study released online over the weekend examined how rates of miscarriage, abortion, and successful childbirth differed among women who suffered from an eating disorder compared to the general population.

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Online treatments for binge eating and bulimia

In the moments when people are binge eating or purging, they are often alone with a computer nearby. Quick internet searches can lead to support in the form of online forums, blogs, and new research (like this site).  Can therapy, either individually or as part of a group, serve as an effective new tool that could be conveniently available online? A few new studies released online this month explore the current status of online treatments.

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Why are therapists neglecting to use treatments supported by research?

When seeking help for binge eating and bulimia, much like with other mental health issues, we assume that licensed professionals will provide treatment that’s based on the latest research. Yet, that’s often not the case. New research released online yesterday sought to explain why there is such a divide between scientific research and the practice of therapy in the field of eating disorders.

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Who is likely to do better or worse in eating disorder treatment?

While we have promising treatments available for binge eating and bulimia, not everyone responds to them. Some people respond quickly and are able to reduce their binge eating and purging within a couple months while others are in treatment much longer or instead drop out. Two new studies looked at women who were either in weekly outpatient therapy or in a hospital day program to see what factors predicted who responded quickly or who dropped out.

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The risk of suicide among people suffering from bulimia

Binge eating and purging can have an obvious impact on medical health. Problems can arise with the heart, teeth, digestive system, and kidneys leading to long-term medical issues and, in the worst cases, death. In the face of all these medical issues, the risk of death by suicide is often overlooked. A new study released online this week investigated the unique contribution of bulimia in suicide risk.

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During pregnancy bulimia decreases but binge eating disorder increases

Strong food cravings and changing eating habits are normal experiences during pregnancy. For some women, however, the changes may be indicative of an eating disorder. A research study released online last week examined rates of binge eating and purging among women to find out how many of them developed, or recovered from, an eating disorder while pregnant.

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How fasting affects women with bulimia differently from healthy women

Many people intentionally fast for reasons ranging from weight loss to religion. If people avoid eating food for an entire day, how would it affect their mood or their cravings for certain foods or the amount of food eaten after the fast? Researchers from Spain examined this question and compared responses between women with bulimia and women without an eating disorder.

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Mindfulness: A tool you can use at home to help reduce binge eating

When people describe binge eating, they often say that time passes by in a haze and they are barely aware of the actual act of eating. We all know it’s helpful to eat slowly, and many popular programs encourage eating “mindfully” such that we fully engage in the experience of each bite. New research released online this month offers support for the practice of mindful meditation as an important tool that can help reduce binge eating.

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Is bulimia like a drug addiction?

When the craving for a particular food hits someone suffering from bulimia it can seem impossible to overcome. Resisting the urge to binge, like resisting an urge to use drugs, can feel intensely horrible despite knowing that such resistance would ultimately feel better down the road. New research published this month analyzes the similarities between bulimia and drug addiction.

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