Bulimia nervosa, also known as bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by eating, often in excessive amounts, followed by purging--a means of "un-eating" ingested food, usually with laxatives or induced vomiting. Many people with bulimia are ashamed of their behaviors and go to great lengths to hide them. If left untreated, bulimia can lead to life-threatening complications. If you or a loved one shows signs of bulimia, seek guidance from your doctor.
Frequent Binging
When a person binges, he consumes an exorbitant amount of food, often to the point of physical discomfort, without enjoying it. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), people with bulimia feel helpless to control their binge behaviors. They tend to binge in private, frequently on "forbidden" foods, or those foods they deem most detrimental to their weight and wellness. In this way, binging may become a form of self-punishment. If your child or loved one has bulimia, you may notice large amounts of food disappearing from your household or frequent spending at grocery stores or restaurants.
Purging
Guilt and shame regarding binging lead to the dangerous practice of purging. Purging, a way of compensating for or "un-eating" ingested food, is a primary symptom of bulimia. After a person with bulimia eats normal or excessive amounts of food, some form of purging typically follows. According to the Mayo Clinic, people with bulimia may force themselves to vomit immediately after eating, exercise excessively to burn ingested calories or abuse laxatives and diuretics (water pills). Frequent, recurrent purging leads to inflammation and pain in the throat, swollen glands in the neck, worn tooth enamel and scratches on the backs of a person's hands (in those who induce vomiting with their fingers). Dehydration and electrolyte imbalances are serious complications of purging. These imbalances can lead to an irregular heartbeat, heat failure and even death.
Emotional Problems and Depression
Bulimia has a dramatic impact on a person's moods. Sufferers often exhibit low self-esteem and poor body image. They feel tremendous guilt and shame regarding their binging behaviors and, frequently, their body shape and size. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, bulimia often co-exists with depression, an illness characterized by long-term negative feelings that interfere with a person's normal life. Depression may serve as the underlying illness that triggers bulimia, or vice versa. In either case, as bulimia symptoms worsen, emotional symptoms worsen as well. For this reason, ideal treatment for bulimia involves a combination of behavioral and emotional therapy techniques that address all aspects of the disorder.
