Bulimia nervosa is characterized by the binge and purge cycle. Excessive quantities of food are eaten in short time spurts. This is immediately followed by a sense of calm or fulfillment, and shortly thereafter transformed into guilt and shame. Binge eating is then "handled" by discarding the food, through laxatives, enemas, self-induced vomiting, diuretics, or extreme exercise.
Bulimia is a secret disorder. You can't see if somebody has it, and she (or he) probably won't volunteer the information. There is a tremendous amount of shame involved, feelings of loss of control and anxiety, and an inability to stop. It is an obsessive, addictive behavior that causes more and more physical harm with each episode.
Therefore, in contrast to anorexia where one can see a body wasting away, bulimia is much harder to recognize. It is a "private" disorder. No one is uncontrollably consuming thousands of calories and then excusing herself to vomit while socializing with friends. Bulimics will often deny that they are suffering from this disorder.
Basic Signs of Bulimia
Preoccupation with body weight / size / appearance
Running to the bathroom after meals
Depression, anxiety
Irregular periods
Dental complications
Bloodshot eyes
Sore knuckles and throat (from self-induced vomiting)
Swollen glands
Exhaustion
Why Bulimia?
Bulimia wasn't recognized as its own disorder until the 1980s. Bulimics generally have a preoccupation with body size and ideal image. Eating large amounts of comfort food momentarily numbs stress and depression. However, once that basic calm passes, bulimics are left feeling ashamed and guilty.
Bulimia tends to affect high achievers with excessive anxiety about their weight and appearance. Differing theories exist as to why people get hooked on the binge and purge syndrome, but some research points to an altered brain chemistry that may place people at higher risk for eating disorders in general.
Terrible Ten
Bulimia is believed to affect 10% of college women.
About 10% of those diagnosed with bulimia are men.
10% of people with bulimia will die from related complications.