Bulimia nervosa, also referred to as bulimia, is a severe eating disorder that carries a high risk of death. Bulimia sufferers may covertly binge—consuming a lot of food while losing control over their intake—and then purge in an attempt to burn off the excess calories in an unhealthy way.
Bulimia sufferers may employ a variety of techniques to cut calories and avoid gaining weight. For instance, after a binge, you might frequently induce vomiting on your own or abuse laxatives, weight-loss pills, diuretics, or enemas. Alternatively, you could use other strategies like fasting, rigorous dieting, or excessive exercise to burn calories and avoid gaining weight.
You’re probably obsessed with your weight and body type if you suffer from bulimia. You might be very critical of yourself and harshly judge your perceived shortcomings. Bulimia can be difficult to recover from since it has to do with one’s self-perception rather than just diet. However, a successful course of treatment can improve your self-esteem, encourage you to eat healthily, and reverse major complications.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of bulimia can include:
- being fixated on your weight and body type
- being terrified of putting on weight
- recurring incidents of consuming unusually large quantities of food in one sitting
- experiencing a loss of control when binge-eating, such as the inability to control what you eat or stop eating
- during a binge, forcing oneself to throw up or overdoing the exercise regimen to prevent weight gain
- using enemas, diuretics, or laxatives after eating when not necessary
- in between binges, fasting, calorie restriction, or avoidance of particular foods
- overuse of dietary supplements or herbal products in an attempt to lose weight
The frequency of your weekly purges—typically at least once a week for at least three months—determines the severity of your bulimia.
Causes
It’s unclear what specifically causes bulimia. Eating disorders may arise from a variety of factors, such as biology, genetics, emotional health, societal expectations, and other problems.
Prevention
While there is no foolproof way to stop bulimia, you can help someone get help before things get worse by encouraging healthier habits or seeking professional help. Here’s how you can contribute:
- No matter how big or small they are, you should help and support your kids in developing a positive body image. Encourage them to develop their confidence in areas other than appearance.
- Have fun family dinners on a regular basis.
- Steer clear of discussing weight at home. Instead, concentrate on leading a healthy lifestyle.
- Discourage dieting, particularly if it includes self-induced vomiting, laxatives or weight-loss supplements, or other unhealthy weight-control techniques.
- Consult your primary care physician. He or she might be in a position to spot the early warning signs of an eating disorder and work to stop it from getting worse.
- If you observe a friend or family member exhibiting symptoms of an eating disorder or leading to one, think about having a supportive conversation with them about these concerns and asking how you can support them.
