Mental Health

Eating Disorders

Bulimia Nervosa

What is bulimia nervosa?

People with bulimia nervosa engage in a destructive pattern of excessively overeating followed by purging their bodies of the excess calories and control their weight by:

vomiting
abusing laxatives or diuretics
taking enemas
exercising obsessively
a combination of any/all these

Episodes of bingeing and purging may happen once or twice a week or up to several times a day.

Who suffers from bulimia nervosa?

Bulimia usually begins during adolescence, and occurs most often in women -- 2 to 3 percent of young women develop the disorder. It also occurs in men and older women, but much less frequently.

Family, friends, and physicians may have difficulty detecting bulimia in someone they know because they binge and purge in secret. Often, they are able to maintain normal or above normal body weight, but hide their problem from others for years. Many individuals with bulimia do not seek help until they reach the ages 30 or 50 -- when their eating behavior is deeply ingrained and more difficult to change.

Medical complications often associated with bulimia nervosa:

in rare instances, the binge eating causes the stomach to rupture
purging may result in heart failure due to loss of vital minerals, such as potassium
vomiting causes other less deadly, but serious, problems
- the acid in vomit wears down the outer layer of the teeth
- scarring on the backs of hands when fingers are pushed down the throat to induce vomiting
- esophagus becomes inflamed
- glands near the cheeks become swollen
- may lead to irregular menstrual periods
- libido may also diminish
individuals may struggle with addictions, including abuse of drugs and alcohol, and compulsive stealing
many people with bulimia suffer from clinical depression, anxiety, OCD, and other psychiatric illnesses
increased risk for suicidal behavior

Causes of bulimia nervosa:

Most people with eating disorders share certain personality traits and use abnormal eating rituals as a means of handling stress and anxiety. These personality traits often include, but are not limited to:

low self-esteem
feelings of helplessness
fear of becoming fat

People with bulimia (and binge eating disorder) typically consume huge amounts of food -- often junk food -- to reduce stress and relieve anxiety.

With binge eating, however, comes guilt and depression.
Purging brings relief that is only temporary.
Individuals with bulimia are usually impulsive and more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as abuse of alcohol and drugs.

This page was last updated on: February 5, 2008.

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