What is bulimia?
Bulimia nervosa, is an eating disorder known
simply as bulimia. Bulimia is the most common of the eating disorders,
but is not as physically dangerous as anorexia.
Like anorexia, people with bulimia have a fear
of becoming fat but unlike those with anorexia their weight is usually
within a healthy limit or they might even be overweight. This is because
people with bulimia will
binge by eating a lot of fattening food, such as cakes or boxes of chocolates
at one time. However, they will then feel guilty and depressed, so will
starve themselves, make themselves sick or use laxatives or diuretics to try to lose the weight. This then sets up a vicious cycle which is
hard to break out of and which will control their lives.
Bulimia is more common
in women over the age of 20.
What causes bulimia?
The cause of bulimia is unknown, a
lot of people who suffer with bulimia also suffer from low self esteem.
Bulimia can be triggered off by stresses in life, such as family problems,
relationship break-ups or sexual abuse. People are four times more likely
to develop bulimia if there is a history of bulimia in the family.
What are the symptoms of bulimia?
People who have bulimia might use excessive amounts of laxatives or will make
themselves vomit. Other symptoms of bulimia may include:
- Irregular periods or none at all.
- Puffy face, caused by constant vomiting.
- Swollen fingers.
- Depression & mood swings.
- Stomach ache or bowel damage due to constantly taking
laxatives.
- Use of the bathroom frequently after meals.
- Overeating, in which large amounts of food are
consumed in short periods of time.
People will bulimia are often ashamed of their behaviour
and so will go to great lengths to disguise it.
How is bulimia diagnosed?
There are no specific tests available to diagnose bulimia,
though your doctor may want to do a blood test to check for anaemia or other causes of weight loss. If you think you may have bulimia then
early diagnosis is important to prevent any long term damage to the
body.
How is bulimia treated?
The aim of treating bulimia is to get the person to
eat three regular meals a day without vomiting or starving. People with
bulimia will also be offered counselling, which will examine the cause
of why they developed bulimia in the first place. Antidepressants may
also be diagnosed to relieve any depression.
What is the long term outlook for people with
bulimia?
If bulimia continues without treatment you can develop
stomach, bowel, or kidney disorders from the excessive use of laxatives.
Excess vomiting can cause tooth decay, bad breath, mouth ulcers, sore
throats and stomach disorders.
Related topics
Anorexia
|
