ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a case of a 21-year-old woman who presents in the emergency department with acute abdominal pain and vomiting and diarrhoea. The diarrhoea and vomiting have been present for 2 days without any abatement. She then tends to feel guilty and says that the guilt makes her feel sick. She does not like how she looks as she feels she is bigger than her peers and she cannot wear current fashions as well as they can. She has not been on holiday and has not been unwell, although is gradually feeling weaker. She denies being on any prescribed medication but says she had been taking a herbal remedy to clear her bowels as part of a detoxification programme. The usual treatment is cognitive behaviour therapy with counselling and support, but there are other bulimia treatments that are effective. Interpersonal psychotherapy helps people with bulimia solve relationship issues and interpersonal problems that are contributing to their eating disorder.
