Bulimia Nervosa

What is bulimia nervosa?
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder with symptoms that involve binge eating, then purging the body by vomiting or using laxatives in order to prevent weight gain. A person with bulimia may stay in the normal range for height and weight; in this case, they do not have the visible signs that a person with anorexia has. In fact, because they usually are very good at hiding their disorder, bulimia might go unnoticed even within the person’s home. Bulimia is a serious illness that must almost always be treated professionally. 

Signs & symptoms
The ability to keep eating behaviors hidden is a key symptom of the condition, so it can be difficult to notice. Signs to watch for include:

• Eating excessive amounts of food within a short period of time.
• The frequent use of laxatives, diuretics, enemas or other medications
• Frequent fasting
• Excessive tooth decay
• Self-descriptions that are focused on weight and body shape

Who's at risk?
More than 90% of those with eating disorders are females ages 12 to 25. Males are much less likely than females to develop eating disorders, with just 5% to 15% of people with anorexia or bulimia and 35% of those with binge-eating disorder being male. Emotional, social, cultural and other factors may contribute to development of eating disorders, including:

• Low self-esteem
• Feelings of inadequacy
• Depression, anxiety, anger, loneliness
• Troubled family relationships
• History of abuse
• Cultural pressures to have a "perfect" body
• Narrowly defined societal images of beauty
• Societal values that place physical attractiveness above other qualities
• Imbalance of chemicals in the brain that control hunger, appetite and digestion

Professional help
Bulimia can be treated and healthy eating practices can be restored. The sooner bulimia is diagnosed, the more success the treatment is likely to be.

Priority Health members can check here for information on getting mental health assistance.

The elements of a sound treatment program are:

• Intensive nutritional counseling to develop a regular pattern of meals
• Encouragement of healthy exercise
• Psychological treatment for the person's body image, self-esteem and personal conflicts
• When appropriate, medications may be part of the recovery and treatment program.

What you can do
If someone you know seems to be suffering from bulimia, encourage getting in touch with a doctor or a mental health professional right away. You can also help by becoming more knowledgeable about eating disorders and their effects. Read more:

• Eating disorders
• Anorexia nervosa
• Binge-eating disorder