Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

Thanks for getting in touch with me as it seems that you’re finding things tough at the moment. I’m glad you have decided to write to me, telling someone can be an important first step in getting help and improving things.

You mention that you’re also worried that someone will find out that you’ve been throwing up, but at the same time you’re scared about what’s happening. That makes me think you would like some help with controlling your purging. It’s natural to want to keep some things to ourselves when you’re not sure how people will react, but I want you to know that you deserve to be supported with this. No one has to deal with feelings like these alone.

I’m concerned that you throw up three times a day. This must be hard for you emotionally and well as physically. You haven’t told me if anyone outside your family knows about this or if you have been to see a medical professional, but this is something you could consider. Many schools have a school nurse who could talk to you about this and give you some help and support and talk to you about being bulimic and help you with your weight.

Your letter says that you started purging in February. Sometimes it can help to think back to before problems started. Maybe you could think about how things were for you or how you were as a person before you started worrying about your weight. This might help you to see how and why your thoughts and behaviours started to change. It might also remind you of how you used to cope and deal with difficult feelings, without using food or making yourself sick. Perhaps you had different ways of coping then that you could try to use again now.

You could take a look at the ChildLine Explore page about eating problems, as well as the message boards. As these messages are posted by other young people you will find others who are having a similar experience to yours and you can ask and read about how they got help. B-eat have lots of information for people who have difficulties with food or who feel they are overweight.

I just want to let you know that if you would like to talk a bit more about what’s going on for you then you can always speak to a counsellor at ChildLine. You can do this on a 1-2-1 chat or for free by calling 0800 1111. The counsellors are there for you and would like to help support you.

Take care,

Sam