 Bulimia Nervosa
One of the more common types of eating disorders, bulimia nervosa – which is often shortened to just “bulimia” – Is a serious condition marked by a repeated pattern of binging (eating large amounts of food in a short period of time) and purging (immediately expelling that food from the body, often by taking laxatives or forcing oneself to vomit.
If left untreated, bulimia can lead to a number of health consequences, including anxiety/panic disorders, heart damage, impaired kidney functions, digestive system damage, and depression. A number of studies have also found that bulimic individual are increasingly apt to engage in unhealthy, risky behaviors such as self-mutilation, unsafe sex, and drug/alcohol abuse.
As with most eating disorders, bulimia is most prevalent among teen girls and young women – though boys, men, and women of all ages have been known to suffer from the condition. Because the behavior is often accompanied by significant levels of disgust and shame, many bulimics become proficient at hiding their actions, as well as the results of those actions.
Symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa
The following are among the most common symptoms associated with bulimia:
- An obsession with food, eating habits, weight, and body shape
- Evidence of purging (for example, disappearing from sight immediately after a meal, or purchasing enemas, laxatives, and other similar medications).
- Excessive exercising, extended periods of fasting, or other extreme activities designed to counter the effects of continued bingeing
- Continued self-criticism, especially of one’s weight and body shape
- Isolation, withdrawal, and a pattern of secretive behavior
- Loss of interest in previously important friends, events, or activities
- Abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and irregular menstruation
- Dental erosion and a swelling of the salivary glands
- Weakness, lethargy, and depression
- Constant complains of being cold, even in warm environments
Causes of Bulimia Nervosa
As with other forms of eating disorders, the causes of bulimia nervosa are far from completely understood. Experts attribute the onset of the condition to the interplay of a complex set of internal and external factors, including (but not limited to) depression, impulsive behavior, poor self-esteem, societal pressure, and genetic predisposition.
Physically, many bulimics were once overweight (or at least believed themselves to be overweight), and their disorder began as a misguided attempt to achieve a more acceptable appearance.
Treatment for Bulimia Nervosa
Depending upon the nature and severity of a person’s affliction with bulimia nervosa, treatment may consist of outpatient therapy, hospitalization, or a stay in a residential treatment facility. After ensuring that a patient is not in any immediate medical danger as the result of her behavior, treatment often incorporates a variety of therapeutic techniques (including individual counseling, group therapy, and family therapy). Nutrition education is also common, as is the development of an aftercare support network.
Ultimately, the goals of any bulimia treatment program are to eliminate the compulsion to binge and purge and to address any underlying physical, emotional, or social issues that may have been responsible for, or caused by, the development of the eating disorder.
Though bulimia can wreak significant havoc on the lives of sufferers and those who love, care for, and depend upon them, effective treatment can put afflicted individuals back on the path toward healthy self-acceptance and the pursuit of their greatest potential.
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