BULIMIA CONSTELLATION
Biological conflicts: fear-disgust conflict, territorial anger conflict, resistance conflict, identity conflict, depending on gender, laterality, and hormone status.
Brain and Organ Level: The corresponding brain relays are the control centers of the alpha islet cells of the pancreas (left diencephalon) and the stomach (right temporal lobe). NOTE: When the territorial anger conflict or identity conflict affects the bile ducts or pancreatic ducts that share the control center with the stomach (small curvature), the person is not in a Bulimia Constellation.
The constellation is established, the moment the second conflict registers in the opposite brain hemisphere. The constellation can be permanent or recurring due to tracks or conflict relapses. NOTE: A Bulimia Constellation does not cause a manic-depression or a maturity stop. A manic depression only develops when both conflicts involve the temporal lobes.
Bulimia (bulimia nervosa) presents as compulsive eating binges followed by compulsive purging. The out-of-control eating (bingeing) is activated from the control center of the alpha islet cells (during conflict activity, the blood sugar drops resulting in hypoglycemia and a craving for food to counterbalance the low glucose level). The urge to vomit (purging) is triggered from the stomach relay (compare with anorexia where vomiting is not compulsive but deliberate to prevent gaining weight). Weight gain is not necessarily the concern of a bulimic. Contrary to anorexics, bulimics can be of normal weight or even overweight, particularly when the conflict related to the alpha islet cells (fear-disgust conflict or resistance conflict) is stronger. In this case, the frenzied consumption of large amounts of food is dominant. If, however, the stomach-related conflict (territorial anger conflict or identity conflict) is accentuated, the compulsive purging takes over – together with a depressed mood (see primary depression). When both conflicts are equally strong, the bulimic is caught in a binge-and-purge cycle. The extent of the compulsions is proportional to the intensity of the conflicts.
Bulimia is strikingly common among women. Girls as young as five and women in their sixties have been diagnosed with bulimia. However, the condition usually emerges during the teenage years. The types of conflicts linked to the Bulimia Constellation offers an explanation why this is the case. A fear-disgust conflict often occurs in association with a distressing sexual experience (sexual abuse, sexual molestation, forced oral sex, exposure to pornography, “disgusting” first time sex, “dirty” sex). A territorial anger conflict typically happens because of anger in the parental home (arguing parents, arguments with a family member) or anger at school (bullying, being badly treated by a teacher). An identity conflict could be brought on by the loss of a parent (emotional neglect, divorce, death) or the loss of a close friend. Losing one’s first love can also prompt an identity conflict of “not knowing where to belong”. In teenage boys, the conflict might be triggered by the distress over one’s sexual identity and “not fitting in”.
This brain CT belongs to a left-handed, 24 year-old female with recurring bulimia. When the brain scan was taken, the identity conflict (right temporal lobe – blue arrows) shows as resolved (uneven edges of the Hamer Focus). Hence, she had no vomiting compulsion at that time. The identity conflict (her first conflict – see conflict sequence) is related to the distress of her father leaving the family when she was 11 years old.
From the sharp borders of the Hamer Focus in the alpha islet cells relay (left diencephalon – green arrows) can be concluded that the fear-disgust conflict is still active, causing a craving for food due to the low blood sugar level (hypoglycemia) and, consequently, weight gain. The fear-disgust conflict (her second conflict) happened at the age of 14 when she was sexually abused by her new stepfather. The brain scan reveals that she carries this conflict into adulthood.
Note that she is also active with an identity conflict related to the rectum surface mucosa relay (left temporal lobe – red arrows), indicating that she is in addition to a Bulimia Constellation in an Aggressive Constellation (her second identity conflict was caused by the unexpected breakup with her boyfriend when she was 18). Hence, relapses of her first identity conflict (the “father track”) reactivate the Bulimia Constellation and binge-purge compulsions as well as the compulsion to cut herself. Since she is, at this point, manic-depressive with an accentuation of the depressed mood, she has suicidal thoughts during that period.
The GNM approach is to confirm at what age the second conflict occurred (see conflict sequence) since this was the time when the Bulimia Constellation was established. The overall objective is to resolve that conflict and to develop strategies how to avoid conflict tracks. Once the person is out of constellation, the compulsions stop. In the above case, the resolution of the first identity conflict would cancel both constellations at the same time. CAUTION: Bulimia can cause serious health problems and requires, therefore, medical attention. If an intense conflict related to the alpha islet cells is resolved, it is important to be prepared for an acute drop of glucose (hypoglycemic shock) that occurs during the Epileptoid Crisis.
Conventional therapeutic concepts, including general stress reduction, psychotherapeutic modalities such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, family/systemic therapy, systemic family constellations, or changing the attitudes toward food and weight (developing a meal plan, integrating a healthy diet) might offer a brief relief. Usually, the “success” is short-lived, since the underlying biological conflict(s) have never been addressed.
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