Expert: Joanne - 5/21/2006

Question
Hi, my name is Kevin. I asked you a question about a week ago about my girlfriend who is frequently in pagaents and who now has a eating disorder. I have given her a a little under a week to try and control this 3 week old habit and she has not done very well. I now fear it is a combination of bulimia and anorexia. I need to know where to get help. I told her that today we were going to tell her parents and that I would be with her no matter what happens. I need to know; Who do I call? Where do I go? and Are there any centers in the northwest indiana area that can help us?

Answer
Unfortunately, I am Scottish, so do not have a lot of info on treatment centres as I'm not sure which areas are in the northwest, but do have a link:

http://www.something-fishy.org/treatmentfinder/search-3.php

Hopefully this will be of some help.  If your girlfriend is willing to speak to her parents about this, that is great.  It will be so much easier for you, her and them if you can all help her.

If she is having a really hard time trying to get back on top if the habits, are you sure that this has only been going on for 3 weeks?  Sometimes people that seem to be completely 'addicted' to their behaviours as they have been using them for so long!

I think that you should ask her to go to her Dr and see who he suggests getting in touch with, and also get him to do some blood work and such tests just to make sure that everything is still ok physically.

Hope that helps!
Holly