Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a serious mental health condition, marked by periods of binge eating and compensatory purging behaviors, such as self-induced vomiting or excessive exercise.

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is a type of treatment for bulimia nervosa (BN) and other eating disorders.

This level of care is essentially a middle-ground, falling between residential or inpatient treatment and a typical outpatient treatment program.

Many different levels of care can help people struggling with eating disorders, including bulimia nervosa (BN). No type of eating disorder treatment is “better” or “worse,” but rather more well-suited for someone’s particular case.

If you or a loved one are struggling with an eating disorder, you’ll likely want to enroll in a treatment program as quickly as possible. And while it’s important to get help in a timely manner, some time should be taken to consider the type of treatment facility you choose.

Eating disorder treatment is often covered by health insurance, but for some, the cost of treatment for an eating disorder is just too high.

Some patients may still get copayment or deductible bills, and they must pay monthly premiums to keep their plans intact. Others don’t have health insurance at all.

Eating disorder treatment is covered by a large number of insurance policies. But most require families and their doctors to prove that care is needed; sometimes, care teams and insurance administrators disagree about how treatment should work.

A variety of overlapping factors often cause eating disorders. 

And while biological influences account for many of the underlying causes of these conditions, exposure to media can impact body dissatisfaction, increasing the rates of disordered eating and playing a role in the development of an eating disorder. [1]

While more research is arguably needed on the subject, Prozac is approved for the treatment of bulimia, although it works best when combined with other talk-based therapies. 

At present, there is no single medication for anorexia that can replace the benefits therapies can provide. However, some medications can address a few of the mental health symptoms many people with anorexia develop.

All across the United States, bulimia treatment centers help people overcome damaging impulses, habits, and behaviors. Each one is slightly different, but all share some core attributes.

Bulimia is a severe mental health disorder, but it responds to treatment. The sooner you spot the signs and enroll a patient in care, the more likely it is that the person will make a full recovery.

Bulimia medication could be part of your recovery plan. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs can ease physical symptoms, reduce urges, and help you feel better. 

Researchers say bulimia medications are generally helpful. [1] One medication, fluoxetine, is FDA-approved for bulimia treatment. Your doctor can dip into other options if you don’t respond to this treatment.

Before bulimia and after—you can probably split your life into these two parts, and chances are, you’d like the “after” part to begin as quickly as possible. Recovery from bulimia isn’t quick, and most people need months (or years) to complete the process. [1] But your hard work is worthwhile.

It’s not uncommon for someone with bulimia to suffer from a co-occurring mental health disorder. Sometimes an eating disorder will develop after a different mental health condition, or the conditions may start simultaneously. In either instance, treatments are available to help individuals with bulimia and a co-occurring mental illness.

Family members are sometimes among the last people to know when a loved one suffers from an eating disorder. Often, eating disorders develop gradually and the changes in a person’s body are either not obvious or happen so slowly that parents and siblings do not notice the difference.