Eating Disorder Resource centre of Ireland
BULIMIA NERVOSA
Like anorexics, bulimic sufferers are obsessed with food and weight.
Bulimic often binge eat and then purge themselves to avoid gaining weight. Many eat large amounts of food, very rapidly, and with little self control. Purging may involve vomiting, laxatives, or excessive exercise.
Despite these behaviour's bulimic are usually average weight or slightly overweight. Bulimia invokes feelings of guilt and shame which perpetuates the ongoing behaviour. A previous history of anorexia is present in about one third of people presenting bulimia. As with anorexia, bulimic may experience serious dangerous physical complications as a consequence of the disorder.
Bulimia Nervosa is characterised as......
Recurrent episodes of binge eating (binge eating being an eating pattern that takes place in a short space of time, involving an amount of food that is definitely larger than what most other people would eat in a similar period of time)
A sense of lack of control over eating and what is being eaten.
Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviour in order to prevent Weight gain as a result of eating pattern e.g.. Self induced vomiting, Misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or other medications, fasting or excessive exercise.
Self evaluation is unduly influenced by body image, shape and weight.
The term bulimia is derived from Latin and means “hunger of an ox”. It is commonly known that the Romans engaged in binge eating and vomiting rituals, but it was first described in medical terms in 1903. Anorexics who purge and normal weight individuals who do not binge but vomit whenever they eat food they consider ‘too fattening’ are often incorrectly diagnosed with bulimia.
The drive for thinness and the fear of being fat or gaining weight appears with both anorexia and bulimia as does the body image obsessions and distortions. Most bulimic restrict calorie intake and they live in a world that swings between compulsive or binge eating and semi starvation also. Bulimic try to control their weight by restricting intake of food and when unable to do so, they end up bingeing and out of anxiety and desperation, they purge through self induced vomiting, laxatives or diuretics. Many also use other behaviour's to counteract their binges such as fasting or excessive exercise. The purging actually calms the bulimic down and eases their guilt and anxiousness about having consumed too much food or gained weight. As the disorder progresses the bulimic will start to see any and all food as a threat. Binges can become extreme and binges of 50,000 calories a day have been recorded!
Bulimia in the initial stages appears to be about dieting and weight, however it eventually becomes a mood regulator. A bulimic finds Solace in food and purging. The act of purging becomes addictive as not only does it control weight but it is calming as endorphins are released when a person is purging. Endorphins are brain chemicals which bring about calm and bliss by inducing pleasure and reducing pain. Any activity that creates an endorphin release becomes fixed and learned by the brain and is then repeated when and individual experiences emotional or physical pain.
It serves as a way for the individual to cope albeit destructive. Bulimic who need help regulating mood states are also prone to using a variety of coping mechanism such as drugs, alcohol, sex, and even gambling. Unlike anorexia, bulimia is not easily identified and bulimic can successfully keep it a secret. Others are so entrenched in the disorder that they are unable to keep down a job or relationships. They are distressed by their by their behaviour and are amazing and upset about their inability to control themselves.
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Suzanne Horgan director & founder Certified Trainer in Practitioner Skills for Eating Disorders and Obesity Contact Us today..........info@eatingdisorders.ie