We have all heard the term before, but what does it mean?
Bulimia or Bulimia nervosa is a serious mental disorder that can affect anyone of any gender, age or background. People who suffer from this are trapped in a cycle of eating large amounts of food and then trying to compensate for that by self-induced vomiting or taking laxatives.
The term is called ‘purging’ and it takes many forms. From self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise to fasting for long periods of time in order to ensure that the food that has been consumed, is purged from the body.
It’s normal for everyone to overindulge every now and then, and shouldn’t be confused with binge eating. When binge eating occurs, people suffering from bulimia don’t feel like they have control of how much food they are consuming or in the frequency that this occurs. Some people also say that they feel completely disconnected from what they are doing, and in most cases of binge eating, people tend to crave the food they would normally avoid.
They are often obsessed with their body shape and weight and tend to judge themselves harshly for their self-perceived flaws. Because eating disorders are related to self – image and not just about food it can be tough to overcome, and when bulimia goes unnoticed it can quickly become very self-destructive.
It’s usually not quickly diagnosed because people with this disorder don’t typically know that they are experiencing it, so they might not seek help. Treatment can give you a better sense of who you are, return to healthier eating habits and reverse some of bulimia’s serious complications.
In this article we will be exploring the topic of bulimia and its impact both physically and mentally. Our aim is not to judge but rather to help you overcome this condition so that you can regain your life and your self-worth.
There are numerous forms and shapes of eating disorders, however bulimia and anorexia are not the same. There’s a distinct difference between the two eating disorders, although they share similar symptoms. So where does the difference lie?
The main difference between diagnoses is that Anorexia nervosa is a self – starvation syndrome involving significant weight loss of more than 15% or more of body weight, whereas patients with bulimia nervosa are by definition at normal weight or even above. At the core of these disorders, lies a commonality which is to prevent weight gain.
The exact cause of bulimia is still unknown, and each case differs from the next. Many factors play a role in the development of eating disorders. These factors include, genetics, biology, emotional health, societal expectation and other issues.
Some might argue that social media plays a role too. While social media alone is typically not the sole cause of developing an eating disorder, it can play a significant role for those susceptible to eating disordered behaviours such as anxiety and depression.
