Self Induced Vomiting
Many people with eating disorders make themselves vomit. This can become frequent
and habitual, and difficult to change. Sometimes people describe it as having become
an almost automatic reflex after eating.
As well as getting rid of food to try to control body weight, vomiting may come to be
a means of dealing with distressing feelings, or become a kind of self-punishment.
With binge eating it may form a vicious circle, each problem reinforcing the other and
making change still harder.
Why stop vomiting?
1) Vomiting is not an effective form of weight control in the long term. When the
stomach suddenly contracts to vomit, around 50% of its content is pushed further down
into the intestine where it will be digested and absorbed. Therefore only half the
food is expelled. But while half of the food contents of the stomach stays in the body,
vomiting does cause a great loss of certain essential minerals. The habit of attempting
to wash out all stomach contents by repeatedly drinking water and vomiting speeds up
this mineral loss. These minerals make up the acidic stomach fluid important for the
breakdown and digestion of food.
2) Vomiting causes dehydration. This is due to the large volume of the fluid that is lost
during vomiting. Dehydration can lead to faintness, tiredness and headache. The effect
of dehydration on the scales can lead people to believe they have lost weight when in
fact they have only lost fluid which will reverse once fluid is replaced.
3) Vomiting is dangerous to your health.
It can cause:
Blood shot eyes, burst/broken blood vessels
in and under your eyes
Dental erosion
Bad breath
Sore throat, bleeding of the throat
and hoarseness
Swelling of the salivary glands (puffy face)
Mouth ulcers
Inflammation of the throat
Irregular heart beat, palpatations
Electrolyte imbalance
- kidney/heart failure
Stomach pains and bloating
Irregular periods
Kidney disease. kidney stones,
kidney failure
Cuts, blisters and scabs on the back of hands
or knuckles from using hands to vomit
Low bloods glucose (sugar)
Faintness, loss of consciousness
and even death
Fluid retention
Dehydration leading to faintness, tiredness
and headache
Electrolyte imbalance (e.g Potassium)
Dry skin/dry hair
©Eating Disorders Network, South East Scotland. Version: June 2009 www.ednses.com. This material can be copied and distributed for clinical use.
Please contact [email protected] if you wish to make any alterations to this material or to use it in any other way than originally intended.
Adapted with permission from the Eating Disorder Therapy Manual.
(Northumberland Eating Disorders Project Group May 1997 – now Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Trust).
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4) Vomiting is likely to make you feel worse in the long term. The physical effects of vomiting
such as stomach bloating and swollen glands can increase the fears of someone with an eating
disorder about their size. People often feel very guilty about vomiting and this often keeps
their confidence and mood low.
Stopping vomiting
1)
Eat regularly to reduce the urge to binge and vomit. If you do vomit, try to have the
next meal as planned. Remember it is normal to feel full after a meal.
2)
If you feel the urge to vomit, distract yourself with activities which make it impossible
to vomit. For example, find some company, do some ironing, clean the car.
3)
A useful tip when you feel the urge to vomit after you have eaten is to try to put it off.
Start with putting it off 10 minutes then 20 minutes and see if you still have the urge
to do it after this time. Often the urge subsides after this time.
4)
Try to identify triggers to your urges to vomit by monitoring them in you food diaries.
Some common triggers include feeling full, eating feared foods, eating more than you
planned, tension, stress, being alone, and going out.
5)
Have some coping phases ready to say to yourself:
•
I have resisted the urge to vomit before – I can do it again
•
I know I will only feel bad if I vomit
•
Though it may feel like vomiting will get rid of what I have just eaten I know that this is not going to make a big difference to my calorie intake
6)
Plan rewards for yourself when you succeed. Every time you avoid the urge to vomit
you are reinforcing healthy new habits.
©Eating Disorders Network, South East Scotland. Version: June 2009 www.ednses.com. This material can be copied and distributed for clinical use.
Please contact [email protected] if you wish to make any alterations to this material or to use it in any other way than originally intended.
Adapted with permission from the Eating Disorder Therapy Manual.
(Northumberland Eating Disorders Project Group May 1997 – now Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Trust).
2