What to Do After Purging: Gentle Self-Care for Bulimia Recovery
Purging through vomiting is a common eating disorder behaviour in people with bulimia nervosa and anorexia purging-type. Despite the temporary relief it provides, purging itself often leaves you feeling wiped-out, uncomfortable and "unclean".
It’s hard. Hard on your mind and body.
Then begins the post purge ritual. A ritual that often lacks the compassion that you would show anyone else who had just been sick.
So what is the right thing to do after purging?
In this post, you’ll learn:
What is purging
Types of purging
What causes purging after eating
What to do after bingeing and purging
What to eat after bingeing and purging
Self-care activities for after bingeing and purging
What happens to your body when you stop purging
How to stop bingeing and purging
This post was originally published in 2020 and has been updated in March 2025 for comprehensiveness.
What is purging?
Purging is a maladaptive coping mechanism that is used by those who are suffering with an eating disorder. Purging is not only common in Bulimia Nervosa, it can also be present in Anorexia Nervosa, Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) and purging disorders.
Purging is an attempt to compensate for or eliminate foods consumed. In some cases, it follows binge eating, but it’s important to note that not everyone who purges also binges.
At the end of the post, I have also added some important information on when to seek urgent medical attention as well as who to reach out to if you need professional support.
Types of Purging
This blog post gives guidance on what to do after purging through vomiting. It is not a replacement for individual medical or professional advice. Although vomitting is the most commonly recognised form of purging, there are other types of purging.
Different types of purge behaviours:
Self-induced vomiting
Laxative use
Enemas
Excessive exercise
Regardless of the method of purging, all are signs of a serious mental illness that requires urgent medical and professional treatment.
What causes purging after eating
Purging is most often thought of as a way of avoiding or controlling weight gain. While there is almost always a fear of gaining weight, viewing purging solely as a weight loss "tool" is a common and significant misconception.
Purging sometimes gives a person temporary relief from the thoughts and feelings that accompany the sensation of feeling full after eating. It is this temporary relief that makes it so difficult to stop purging. Purging provides short term relief for a long-term problem.
More often than not, those who engage in purging are vulnerable to other co-occurring mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, alcohol use disorder (AUD) and trauma (e.g., PTSD). Feelings of low self worth, lack of control and overwhelm can be triggers for purging.
Restrict-binge-purge cycle
Triggers such as unpleasant thoughts and feelings can perpetuate the vicious restrict-binge-purge cycle.
What to Do After Bingeing and Purging: A Gentle, Step-by-Step Guide
Brushing your teeth, taking hot baths or showers, and drinking alcohol are among the most harmful things to do after being sick. Here's a checklist that you can save somewhere as a quick reminder (full explanation of each step is below).
Rinse, Don’t Brush
Brushing your teeth straight after vomiting can damage your enamel, which is already weakened by stomach acid. Instead, gently rinse your mouth with a solution of 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda mixed into 200ml of water. If you don’t have bicarb, plain water is still helpful. Wait at least an hour before brushing.
2. Rehydrate with Electrolytes
Vomiting leads to fluid and electrolyte loss, which can make you feel dizzy, foggy, or drained. Sipping an electrolyte drink (like O.R.S tablets or coconut water) helps restore balance. Avoid acidic drinks like orange juice or lemon water, which can be harsh on your teeth.
3. Eat Something Gentle
Your blood sugar may dip after purging, which can leave you feeling shaky or low. Eating something small and grounding—like a banana, toast, plain crackers, oatcakes, or a biscuit—can help bring your body back to balance. There’s no “perfect” food here. Start with what feels safe and manageable.
4. Engage Your Senses
Instead of rushing into a hot bath or long shower (which can increase dizziness), try splashing cool water on your face, brushing your hair, or applying moisturiser. Change into loose, soft clothing that helps you feel comforted and less constricted, especially if you’re feeling bloated or sore.
5. Soothe Your Nervous System
After purging, your nervous system may be dysregulated—either stuck in a state of hyperarousal (anxious, wired) or hypoarousal (numb, shut down). Some gentle ways to regulate include:
Orienting: Name five things you can see, hear, or feel.
Touch: Place a hand on your chest or belly and feel the warmth.
Breath: Try a few slow exhales, or hum gently to stimulate your vagus nerve. You don’t need to ‘fix’ how you feel. Just giving yourself something grounding to return to is enough.
Nervous System Regulation After Purging
After purging, it’s not just your body that feels the impact—your nervous system can be left feeling frazzled, frozen, or flooded. You might feel wired and panicked, emotionally numb, or like you're floating outside your body.
These are nervous system responses, not personality flaws. They’re your body’s way of protecting you from perceived danger—even if that danger is just the distress of being in your own skin.
This section offers gentle ways to begin calming your system, reconnecting with your body.
Step 1: Name What You're Feeling (Without Judgement)
You might not be able to name the emotion exactly—and that’s okay. But simply acknowledging “I feel unsettled” or “something feels off” helps bring awareness back to the present moment.
Gentle script:
“I notice that my body feels ___ right now. I don’t need to fix it—I’m just observing.”
Self-Care After Purging: Gentle Ways to Regulate and Reconnect
Step 2: Use Your Exhale
When we’re anxious or panicked, our breathing becomes shallow. Rather than forcing a deep breath, focus on lengthening your exhale to tell your nervous system it’s safe to soften.
Try this:
Inhale through your nose for 4 counts
Exhale through your mouth for 6 counts
Repeat 5–10 times
Or try humming softly on the exhale to stimulate your vagus nerve
Step 3: Orient to Safety
If your system is stuck in a loop, gently shift your attention to the world around you. Look for signs of safety—warm light, your favourite objects, colours, or sounds. Let your eyes rest on something soothing.
Try this:
Name 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you’re grateful for.
Final Thought
Regulation isn’t about becoming calm instantly. It’s about slowly, lovingly helping your nervous system return to a place of enough safety that you can move forward. Even just trying one of these tools is a huge act of care.
If it feels too hard to regulate on your own, reach out to someone you trust. Co-regulation (feeling safe in connection with another) is just as valid—and often more powerful.
Grounding & Regulation Tools
After purging, it’s common to feel flooded—emotionally and physically. You might feel ashamed, numb, panicked, disconnected, or just plain exhausted. Rather than pushing those feelings away or trying to “get back to normal,” self-care is about meeting yourself where you are.
These practices aren’t about fixing you. They’re here to help you soften into the moment, reconnect with your body, and remind your nervous system that you are safe now.
These activities can be done alone, but reaching out to someone you trust is also a powerful form of care.
Feel Your Feet on the Ground
This discreet grounding technique helps you come back into your body. Sit comfortably and place both feet flat on the floor. Gently press your feet down and notice the sensation of contact. You can do this anywhere—even in a public space—and no one will know.
Orient to the Room
Turn your head slowly and look around the room. Notice the places that you like to look at and let your eyes rest there for a while. This helps your nervous system register safety by reminding you that you're no longer in a threat state.
Self-Soothing Touch
Place a hand over your heart or on your belly. Feel the warmth, the weight, the rhythm of your breath. You might even add a soft phrase like, “I’m here now” or “I’m doing the best I can.
Creative & Expressive Care
Draw your favourite song
Put on a track you love and let your hands move. Use colours, shapes or lines to express how the music feels. This isn’t about being “artistic”—it’s about giving your body another way to process what’s happening internally.
Journal Prompts for Self-Compassion
Writing can help you make sense of what you're feeling without judgment. Here are a few prompts you might try:
“What do I need right now?”
“What would I say to someone I love if they were going through this?”
“Can I remember a moment I felt safe or held? What did that feel like?”
If it feels too overwhelming to write, just jot down a single word or sentence. That’s enough.
Gentle Movement or Stillness
If your body feels jittery or frozen, offer it something grounding:
A slow walk or a few minutes of stretching
Rocking side to side while seated
Resting with a hand on your belly and focusing on your breath
There's no right or wrong way to self-soothe. The goal is to meet your nervous system with care, not control.
What happens to your body when you stop purging?
When you stop purging, your body begins to heal—and that healing can be uncomfortable. You might experience physical symptoms that feel unfamiliar or even frightening. But these responses aren’t signs that something’s wrong with you. They’re signs that your body is trying to find safety again.
Here’s what to expect, and how to gently support yourself through it:
The Nervous System Reacts First
Purging often becomes part of a survival strategy. When you stop, your nervous system may feel exposed or unsafe. This can trigger feelings of anxiety, panic, numbness, or disconnection. You might feel emotionally raw or overwhelmed.
It’s not a lack of willpower—it’s your body adjusting to a new way of being.
Try this: Focus on small ways to feel safe in your body. This could be grounding with your feet on the floor, wrapping yourself in a soft blanket, rocking or swaying your body.
Digestive Changes Are Normal
After purging stops, digestion may feel uncomfortable. Bloating, cramping, constipation, or fullness can be distressing, especially if you’re sensitive to body sensations.
This isn’t permanent—your digestive system is recalibrating after repeated disruption. Rest, hydration, and gentle movement (like walking or stretching) can help.
Try this: Offer your body kind words instead of judgment. “I’m healing,” or “It makes sense that this feels hard.”
Water Retention & Weight Fluctuations
Your body may hold onto more fluid in the early stages of recovery—this is part of restoring balance after repeated dehydration. It may also trigger fears around weight or shape changes. These are valid fears, but they don’t mean you’re doing recovery wrong.
Try this: Focus on how your body feels internally rather than how it looks externally. You’re building resilience, not chasing control.
The Path of Healing
Recovery is rarely linear. You might feel like you're moving forward one moment and spiralling the next. That’s normal. Stopping purging is a powerful act of resistance—but it doesn’t mean everything else will fall into place overnight.
Every step you take toward supporting your body—rather than punishing it—is a radical act of care.
Be gentle with yourself.
When you should seek urgent medical attention
If you vomit blood or have vomit that looks like ground coffee (a sign of internal bleeding), call 999 or go to A&E.
How to Stop Bingeing and Purging
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to stopping binge-purge behaviours. The path out is rarely linear—and it’s normal to feel both a deep desire to recover and an equally strong fear of letting go. That push-pull is part of the process, not a sign of failure.
Stopping these behaviours isn't just about “willpower” or “control.” It’s about building safety—both inside your body and in your environment—so you no longer have to rely on these behaviours to cope. It takes time, support, and a lot of gentleness.
Here are a few pillars that can support your journey:
Find Support That Feels Safe
Recovery is too big to do alone. That doesn’t mean you need to have everything figured out—just that you deserve a team who will walk alongside you.
This might include:
A GP or doctor who understands eating disorders
A therapist (especially someone trauma-informed or eating disorder-trained)
A registered nutritional therapist
Peer support groups or online communities
Trusted loved ones who can offer connection, not pressure
Understand Your Triggers
Purging and bingeing are often responses to overwhelm—not just to food, but to emotions, trauma, stress, or unmet needs. Getting curious (not critical) about what leads up to an episode can help you begin to untangle the cycle.
You don’t need all the answers. Just start noticing.
Try journaling or using a behaviour chain analysis (as used in DBT) to map the before-and-after of an episode.
Develop Soothing Alternatives
If bingeing or purging has become your way of regulating your nervous system, it’s essential to find new tools that can offer a similar sense of relief or grounding—without harming you.
This could include:
Breathwork or gentle movement
Sensory input (like holding something cold or warm)
Restorative routines (like bathing, stretching, or creating art)
Reaching out for connection
The goal isn’t to never feel dysregulated—it’s to have more options available when you do.
Nourish Yourself Regularly
Undereating (even unintentionally) fuels the binge-purge cycle. When your body is in survival mode, it will eventually override your efforts to control it.
Eating regular meals and snacks—even before you feel “ready”—can help stabilise blood sugar, improve mood, and reduce urges over time.
If this feels overwhelming, work with a professional who can help you find a rhythm that feels realistic and safe.
Rebuild Trust With Food, Your Body, and Movement
True healing isn’t just about stopping behaviours—it’s about transforming the relationship you have with your body. That includes challenging toxic beliefs, unlearning shame, and slowly reconnecting with food and movement in ways that feel nourishing, not punishing.
This takes time.
And you don’t have to do it perfectly.
You deserve a life where your body doesn’t feel like a battleground. One where you can respond to pain with care, not punishment. Recovery asks a lot—but it also gives a lot back. Keep going.
Who to call if you need urgent emotional support
If you’re worried about your emotional state or are having suicidal thoughts, there are a number of helpful helplines that can provide support. If you aren’t able to get through to any of these lines and are feeling suicidal, call 999.
Helplines
Samaritans: Call 116 123 (24/7)
Beat UK: 0808 801 0677 (9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends and bank holidays).
Childline: 0800 1111 (7:30 a.m.–midnight from Monday to Friday, or from 9 a.m.–midnight at weekends).
Nutritional Therapy for Recovery
I'm a registered nutritional therapist who specialises in eating disorder and disordered eating recovery. If you'd like to learn more about the one-on-one support I offer, schedule a FREE 30-minute discovery call here.
Disclaimer: This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, website or in any linked materials are not intended to be, and should not be considered a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Affiliate Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn money from qualifying purchases. Some of the above links may be affiliate links, meaning if you purchase a product or service via these links, I may receive a small commission or reward at no additional charge to you.
