[jopee]

I am 18 years old and have suffered from bulimia since I was 14. It started as a simple way for me to lose weight but it slowly turned into an addiction. The worst part about it is I didn't realize I had a problem until a year ago. It got so out of hand that I was binging and purging about two to three times a day. I was embarrassed and didn't want to tell anyone. I was moody all the time and extremely depressed. I was at a breaking point and felt I had no other option but to get help. I finally found the courage to go to my mom and tell her what I was going through. For any of you that experience bulimia I'm sure you'd agree with me admitting it to a loved one is harder than dealing with the eating disorder alone. Anyway my mom was very supportive but also very worried. She took me to the doctor who set me up with a psychiatrist. Unfortunately I only went to two appointments when I was supposed to get professional help for a year or so. I went away to University and gained a bit of weight. Now I just want to eat healthy and not have to have binging in the back of my mind all the time. It's so hard to quit, especially on your own and I'm feeling like I need to go back to treatment. I'm really sick of having this eating disorder and to any girls who are thinking about starting to do this I really recommend you don't. It becomes addicting without you even realizing and can be almost impossible to stop. Its not worth how much of your life it will consume. I'm hope one day I can look back and be able say I was strong enough to concur this but I have a feeling it won't be on my own

[elle5]

Don't be so stupid. I am a mother of a 26 yr old bulimic girl. Any day she is due to have a heart attack. Once you are on this cycle there is no turning back. I love her to bits and it is breaking my heart. But she has no control. It has completely taken over her. My advice: Please do not go down this pathway there is no return. Take up a sport and forget about what you look like - our magazines have a lot to answer for. Just be you and be happy to be able to know you can breathe life every day!