He's been doing this for a good while, possibly over a year but I've only caught on yo it 3/4times so far. He does it secretly and I usually find out because I hear him coughing or I see signs afterwards. He has only just turned 12. I thought it may be a phase, anxiety about starting secondary, but I noticed it again today and had a chat with him.
So here's how it went today: for breakfast he had a buttered muffin and a bowl of grapes. He ate well, said it was delicious, then went to clean his teeth to leave for school.
An hour later I discovered grape skins blocking the plughole in the bathroom.
After school he came in chirpy as usual. We had our usual hug, how's you day, then I asked him to come and sit with me for a chat. I asked him if he'd felt sick after breakfast. No. I told him I 'd noticed that he had been sick and asked him what had made him be sick. He said touched the back of his tongue when he brushed his teeth and it made him gag and because he didnt like the feeling of food in the back of his throat he did it more to make himself sick. I asked him if he did it because he was worried about things. He said yes (we discussed this a little but I wont go into his worries here). He said being sick made him feel better. He said he did it about once a week. I told him that I was always here to listen to his worries and talk them through. I explained that making your self sick can make you weak and tired and unhealthy. I told him I loved him and that there are much better ways to deal with worries than making yourself sick. Then he asked if he could go play on his xbox and I can hear him singing away upstairs as I've written this.
I really dont know how to deal with this to be honest. I'm a single mum and im really worried about him. What else can I do/say?
Did I say too much? Should I wait and see if it blows over? Is this a phase or the beginning of bulimia?
Any advice at all please