What can I do if I suspect a friend has bulimia?

What can I do if I suspect a friend has bulimia?

Barton Blinder, MD (Clinical Professor, Dept. of Psychiatry) gives expert video advice on: What can I do if I suspect a friend has bulimia?; What is the best way to approach a son or daughter who may have bulimia?; What is not a good way to approach a son or daughter who may have bulimia?

As in many problems that occur in teenagers and during school, often the first people to notice are friends, and what we say in psychiatry is if friends see severe behavior, don't keep a secret. It's not really being a friend to your peer to keep a secret. Even notifying the peer's parents seems like a breach of confidentiality, but if you see your very best friend binging and regurging, sometimes it is necessary to notify a relative.