I was addicted to food for 20 years and have been in recovery since 2005. Any recovered addict will tell you that the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. The second of the bulimia tips I suggest is to take the very important first step toward recovery.

For some people, their breakthrough and path out of addiction comes after a massive breakdown. Of the advice for bulimia that I suggest, the first is that you decide that you cannot continue living with this addiction in your life. At some point you realize enough is enough and it’s finally time to make a change.

You may be in denial about your eating disorder right now. You may think that obsessive control over eating, bingeing, and purging is a voluntary choice that you are making. You probably don’t think of your bulimia as an addiction that you are powerless against.

If you think this, then you either cannot see, or you are deliberately blinding yourself to the impact that bulimia is having on your life.

take that first step

Admitting that you have a serious problem and that your life is out of control is facing a bulimic. Generally speaking, we are perfectionists and the idea that something has control over our lives can take many, many years to accept.

The first step is admitting the problem and acknowledging that you need to make a change. The next of my bulimia tips is to share this with someone in your life. Whether it’s a friend, family member, social worker, therapist. Reinforcing your commitment to get help by telling someone about it and your commitment to make a change is very powerful. You will be surprised at the sense of relief you will feel. As scary as it sounds, telling people about your problem will actually give you the strength to get over it.

When you put into words what you are going through, the true enormity of your problem will become apparent to you. It will also help you identify and acknowledge feelings that you weren’t even aware of.

Telling someone is one of my important tips for bulimia, because sometimes we lack the objectivity to see what is going on in our own lives. The telltale symptoms of bulimia are there, but you may not be able to see them. A friend will not only help you see the effects of bulimia on your life, but can also support you on your road to recovery.

When I told my first friend about my bulimia, I was shocked to learn that she, too, had suffered from an eating disorder earlier in her life. The scary part was when she was thinking about what to say and the fear she had about how she would react to it. I can honestly say that I never told anyone that I had bulimia and they reacted in a less than understanding way. Most are shocked and surprised, but compassionate because they understand how hard it must be to live that way.

It can seem really difficult, even humiliating, to admit you have a problem, but if you’re going to reap the benefits of these bulimia tips, then you need to take that all-important first step. Admit your addiction and then tell someone who cares about you so that you can start your recovery process right away.