Facts About Bulimia Nervosa

Around eight in every 100 women will have bulimia at some point in their lives. The condition can occur at any age, but often starts around the age of 19.

Characteristics of Bulimia

The habits of people with eating disorders are motivated by an overwhelming fear of getting fat. People with bulimia tend to alternate between eating excessive amounts of food (binging), and making themselves sick, or using laxatives (purging), in order to maintain a chosen weight. This is usually done in secret. People with bulimia purge themselves because they feel guilty about the binge eating, but the binging is a compulsive act that they feel they cannot control.

Binging

Binging is repeatedly eating vast quantities of high-calorie food, without necessarily feeling hungry or needing to eat. The urge to eat can begin as an attempt to deal with emotional problems, but it can quickly become obsessive and out of control.

Purging

Purging is a response to the binging. After someone with Bulimia has eaten lots of food in a short space of time, they may feel physically bloated and unattractive. The main impulse to purge is a powerful, over-riding fear of putting on weight. The most common methods of purging involve deliberately vomiting, or using laxatives to encourage the body to pass the food quickly. Less common methods of purging include taking diet pills, over-exercising, extreme dieting, periods of starvation, or taking illegal drugs, such as amphetamines.

Bulimia is often a vicious circle. If someone has the condition, it is likely that they have very low self-esteem. They may also think that they are over-weight, even though they maybe at, or near, a normal weight for their height and build.

Spotting the Warning Signs for Bulimia – Other Symptoms

Other signs of bulimia can include the following symptoms:

• Regular changes in weight
• An obsessive attitude towards food and eating
• Large amounts of money being spent on food
• Disappearing soon after eating (usually visiting the toilet to vomit)
• Episodes of over-eating
• Periods of starvation
• Depression and anxiety
• Distorted opinions about body weight and shape
• Isolation.

If someone is suspected of having Bulimia, it is important to seek help for them as soon as possible through their GP or family health service.

Treatment for Bulimia Nervosa

Though it is possible to overcome Bulimia, it can be a long and difficult process. Treatment includes both psychological support and medications. Psychological treatments aim to help the sufferer re-establish healthy attitudes towards eating.

Psychological treatments in include Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), Interpersonal therapy (IPT) and counselling. These treatments aim at working with the person concerned to improve attitudes towards food and eating, and also work with them to improve self esteem and confidence.

The medications used for Bulimia Nervosa are known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs are a group of antidepressants. SSRIs are mainly used to treat depression, but they are also used to treat eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and social phobia.

Hospital treatment

Bulimia is not usually treated at hospital. However, if someone has serious health complications and her life is at risk, she may be admitted to hospital.

Source:

Eating Disorder support service, UK