Bulimia nervosa, or simply bulimia, is an eating disorder where one compensates for compulsive binge-eating by compulsive purging. It is a very serious eating disorder, but is also among the least talked about in India. There are two main reasons for this- the inability of people to understand the seriousness of such a disorder in a society that is catching up with the gymming culture, and the sense of shame for those suffering from the disease.

Like all mental disorders, bulimia is intricately linked to social ideas, in this case about food. And women are the worst affected because expectations regarding the body have always been the hardest on women. Not only are they expected to match up to those standards, but there is also the disturbing trend of portraying eating disorders as attractive in popular media.

But thankfully, all this is changing. There is increasing awareness of the lesser known mental issues among the rising middle-class thanks to the internet. However, mere awareness often fails in making effective change because of the lack of infrastructure in this country to deal with mental issues. But this can be addressed by another rising phenomenon among the masses- crowdfunding.

With platforms like Crowdfunding India, bulimia can be fought at many levels. One can start an initiative to help those suffering from bulimia in seeking treatment.  Because the public departments addressing mental health are woefully under-equipped and private practitioners charge a lot, treatment of mental health issues becomes limited to a certain class. Crowdfunding can be used by those not privileged enough to afford their own medical treatment at an individual level. Individuals or organizations interested in mental health can get together and appeal for donations to set up facilities to treat mental and eating disorders.

But one needs to be extra careful while putting up one’s profile on a crowdfunding platform. Platforms like Crowdfunding India have a wide reach and are very reputed, so starting a crowdfunding campaign on a less-talked-about disorder would make the visitors to the platform more aware of the issue and also encourage them to seek help for themselves. So one starting a fundraiser also has the added responsibility of raising awareness among people. The support team at Crowdfunding India is there to help you to make a profile best suited for the purpose.

Lack of affordability should not be a deterrent to treating something as serious as bulimia. It has been known to kill many. So it is always advisable to seek treatment. Bulimia can go on for years, and does not go away without treatment. With crowdfunding, one does not have to fight the battle alone.