Bulimia Nervosa
A lot of people often over eat, particularly at parties, Christmas, Easter, weddings etc. For people who has bulimia Nervosa are caught up in the cycle of eating large amounts of food (binging) and then try to get rid of the food by vomiting, taking laxatives, diuretics, fasting or over exercising (purging) are suffering enormous distress which can take over their lives. Early intervention is the key to a speedy and sustainable recovery.
People will often describe when they are binging of a feeling of “being out of control” or disconnected from what they are doing. After a binge people will often feel over whelmed by guilt, shame and blame that they have to purge to get rid of the food, to bring down their anxiety levels, and their fear of gaining weight.
Binging and purging cycles can dominate a person daily life. Which in turn can lead to difficulties in relationships, work and social situations. Someone who is suffering from bulimia can often hide their illness from others because they are at normal weight. This often stops a person from seeking help, because they see they don’t have a problem or they won’t be believed.
In addition, popular culture cultivates and reinforces a desire for thinness that may contribute to bulimia in both men and women. Success and worth are often equated with being thin, especially for women. Pressure from a peer group at school, work, or social circles can also fuel this desire to be thin, particularly among young girls and teens. For other people, bulimia symptoms may begin later in life, particularly during times of transition, if they experience trauma or stress that overwhelms their ability to cope.
Signs of Bingeing
- Eating much more food in a binge episode than in a normal meal or snack
- Feeling that eating can’t be controlled once a binge begins
- Hiding or hoarding food
- Making excuses for missing food, or money taken to pay for binge foods
- Eating until the point of physical discomfort or pain
Bulimia describes an illness which contains a range of behaviors. There are regular episodes of “binge” eating, usually in private, of foods believed to be fattening and therefore in some way “forbidden” to someone wanting to control their weight. Foods typically eaten during a binge will include biscuits, chocolate, crisps, bowls of cereal, large amounts of toast with butter, chips, cakes, tubs of ice cream etc. Eating continues until the urge to eat is gone, tension is reduced, physical satiation is reached, often to the point of pain, or the person is interrupted.
Signs of Purging
Many signs of bulimia relate to self-induced vomiting, which is the most prevalent form of purging. They include:
- Habitually going to the bathroom immediately after eating or during meals
- Damaged teeth and gums
- Swollen salivary glands in the cheeks (chipmunk cheeks)
- Persistent sores in the throat and mouth
- Sores, scars or calluses on the knuckles or hands caused by self-induced vomiting
- Scratchy or raspy voice quality
- Misuse of ipecac syrup to induce vomiting
The symptoms of Bulimia
You may experience short and long-term effects on your body, as well as emotional and behavioral symptoms:
- Having a distorted excessively negative body image
- Preoccupation body shape and weight.
- Binge eating
- Exercising too much
- Isolating yourself
- Feeling helpless
- Poor sleep
- Low mood
- Losing interest in things and people.
Physical symptoms may also include:
- Sore throat
- Dehydration
- Bad teeth (from vomiting)
- Heart problems
- Muscle spasms
- Swollen glands
- Feeling weak and tired
- Weight swings
- Change in periods (for girls)
Just because you experience one or more of these symptoms, it doesn’t mean you’re definitely affected by bulimia. It’s important to talk to your GP to get a full diagnosis.
