From the author: The article was written based on the book by G. Nardone, T. Verbitz, R. Milanese “Captive of food. Short-term strategic therapy for eating disorders.” People suffering from bulimia are characterized by great emotional sensitivity and fragility and have great difficulty in controlling their reactions. They have an uncontrollable tendency to consume food, this tendency is accompanied by uncontrollable pleasure from food and the fear of losing control over their desire to eat, and the more they try not to eat or limit themselves in food, the more the desire for uncontrollable absorption of food increases. Over time, these people are discovering that food can represent a refuge, a place to hide from difficulties that seem insurmountable. This shows adaptation to reality, which cannot be controlled. And therefore, the layer of fat becomes a “protective shell,” especially in the area of ​​interpersonal relationships. Such people can be metaphorically compared to “an artichoke, which protects its tender core with its hard and prickly leaves. And the layer of fat in this case serves as a protection that they build between themselves and other people, between themselves and their intemperance. Two types of bulimia can be distinguished: Boterian bulimia and yo-yo bulimia. Boterian bulimia. Clients suffering from it seem to have stepped out of Botero’s paintings. Usually their weight is at least 80-90 kg. They are distinguished by angelic calm, they are most often married, and their life is generally cloudless. They are completely unable to follow any diet, they are often diagnosed with chronic obesity, they receive drug treatment, and sometimes undergo surgery (gastric bandaging). They realize that they are “artichokes.” Food is protective for them. They use the layer of fat as a defense in interpersonal relationships, as a defense against the fear of losing control over their own reactions. The second category, suffering from Boterian bulimia, is not aware of the above aspect of their disorder and treats food as a kind of demon that has possessed them. The third category . Usually these are women with a weight that is clearly higher than normal. For them, overeating represents a pleasure that is impossible to refuse. The age of such clients does not exceed 45-50 years. Their symptoms develop during the period of life when their adult children leave the parental home, and they are consequently deprived of their maternal role and are left with an empty nest. For them, uncontrolled consumption of food is a pleasant compensation, a way to “spice up” their life with a surrogate of pleasure. Yo-yo bulimia This type of eating behavior is the most common. These clients turn to nutritionists and doctors as a first attempt to solve their problem. And having failed, they turn to psychologists. These clients manage to follow the diet for some time, but then they lose control. Their weight constantly fluctuates between the optimal weight and a weight 5-6 kg exceeding the optimal weight. They lose weight every time they gain weight, and gain weight again every time they manage to lose weight. They alternate periods of control with periods of loss of control. They are in a constant battle with dieting. Do not gain excessive weight. Their weight is only a few kilograms higher than optimal. These clients are most often also “artichokes” who, having lost weight, get scared and realize the “danger” of becoming attractive and therefore start eating again in order to restore the “protective layer of fat” that isolates them from other people. These clients are the most resistant to change because they have already tried many other methods before seeing a psychologist. If they do not see immediate results, they become disheartened and stop therapy. Therapeutic Intervention for Bulimia It should be noted that bulimics are more prone to!