Bulimia nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder that results in binge eating then purging the food through means of vomiting or other ways. People who are bulimic tend to eat large amounts of food in short periods of time. They often feel full, uncomfortable, shameful and guilty that they ate so much food so they feel the need to get rid of the food through purging. Most bulimics feel they are overweight and so they feel guilty when they allow themselves the ability to eat large amounts of food. Although bulimics are known to purge their food through vomiting, there are also other ways of trying to counteract the effects of eating too much. Bulimics may also take laxatives to speed up the process of elimination, take water pills to cause frequent urination, eat very little, or exercise obsessively to burn calories from the food they have eaten.
Bulimia may not start because a person has issues with food. Bulimia can stem from the need to feel in control of something. Often bulimics feel that they have no control over things in their lives. Bulimia can also stem from stress, anger, anxiety, or depression. There are also outside influences that can trigger a person to become self conscious of their image which can result in bulimia as well. In today’s society looks are extremely important to a lot of people. With images of stick thin woman plastered all over magazines and billboards, girls living in America are much more likely to feel their bodies are not ideal. People with low self-esteem are more likely to develop bulimia than those that feel good about themselves. Often peer pressure or pressure within the family can cause a person to turn to bulimia to lose weight. Children that are raised around people that show concern about body image or constantly judge people for their body size are more likely to develop an eating disorder to feel approval. Traumatic events in a person’s life such as losing a loved one or being raped can cause a person to need to feel in control of their body again.
Regardless of the reason a person becomes bulimic it is a very serious medical condition that needs to be addressed right away. Warning signs that you may be able to spot in a person with bulimia include, leaving the table after each meal to go to the bathroom, dry knuckles, moodiness, poor body image, concern about gaining weight, tooth decay, use of diet pills, obsessive exercising, broken blood vessels in eyes or on face, swollen cheeks or face and fatigue.
If you or a friend has bulimia you need to understand this is not something that can be controlled easily. It takes medical supervision, a lot of friendly support, and psychiatric help to move past the disease. However, seeking help sooner then later is very important. Bulimia can do a lot of damage to a person’s body. A bulimic can become malnourished, anemic, extremely depressed or moody, lose their teeth due to decay, cause internal bleeding, and get ulcers of the stomach. A girl who is bulimic and pregnant can also cause severe damage to their unborn baby or have a miscarriage as a result of the disease.
Getting a person to admit they are suffering from bulimia nervosa can be quite a challenge. The best thing you can do for a person who is suffering from the condition is to let them know you are concerned and want them to get better. Always be a friendly ear for the person to talk to and do not judge the person for their condition. Try contacting a support group for bulimics and to talk about what you can do to help yourself or your loved one.
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