Bulimia Nervosa

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Bulimia Nervosa

What is bulimia?

Bulimia (buh-LEE-me-ah) nervosa is a type of eating
disorder. It is often called just bulimia. A person with bulimia eats a lot of
food in a short amount of time. This is called binging. The person may fear
gaining weight after a binge. Binging also can cause feelings of shame and
guilt. So, the person tries to "undo" the binge by getting rid of the
food. This is called purging. Purging might be done by:

making yourself throw up taking laxatives (LAX-uh-tiv) — pills or liquids that speed up
the movement of food through your body and lead to a bowel movement exercising a lot eating very little or not at all taking water pills to urinate

Who becomes bulimic?

Many people think that only young, upper-class, white
females get eating disorders. It is true that many more women than men have
bulimia. In fact, 9 out of 10 people with bulimia are women. But bulimia can
affect anyone: Men, older women, and women of color can become bulimic. It was
once thought that women of color were protected from eating disorders by their
cultures. These cultures tend to be more accepting of all body sizes. But
research shows that as women of color are more exposed to images of thin women,
they are more likely to get eating disorders. African-American, Latina,
Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian and Alaska Native women can become
bulimic.

What causes bulimia?

Bulimia is more than just a problem with food. A binge can
be set off by dieting or stress. Painful emotions, like anger or sadness, also
can bring on binging. Purging is how people with bulimia try to gain control
and to ease stress and anxiety. There is no single known cause of bulimia. But
these factors might play a role:

Culture. Women in the U.S.
are under constant pressure to be very thin. This "ideal" is not
realistic for most women. But seeing images of flawless, thin females
everywhere can make it hard for women to feel good about their bodies.
More and more, men are also feeling pressure to have a perfect body. Families. It is likely that
bulimia runs in families. Many people with bulimia have sisters or mothers
with bulimia. Parents who think looks are important, diet themselves, or
judge their children's bodies are more likely to have a child with
bulimia. Life changes or stressful events. Traumatic events like rape can lead to bulimia. So can
stressful events like being teased about body size. Psychology. Having low
self-esteem is common in people with bulimia. People with bulimia have
higher rates of depression.
They may have problems expressing anger and feelings. They might be moody
or feel like they can't control impulsive behaviors. Biology. Genes, hormones, and
chemicals in the brain may be factors in getting bulimia.

What are signs of bulimia?

A person with bulimia may be thin, overweight, or normal
weight. This makes it hard to know if someone has bulimia. But there are
warning signs to look out for. Someone with bulimia may do extreme things to
lose weight, such as:

using diet pills, or taking pills to urinate or have a bowel
movement going to the bathroom all the time after eating (to throw up) exercising too much, even when hurt or tired

Someone with bulimia may show signs of throwing up, such
as:

swollen cheeks or jaw area rough skin on knuckles (if using fingers to make one throw up) teeth that look clear broken blood vessels in the eyes

Someone with bulimia often thinks she or he is fat, even if
this is not true. The person might hate his or her body. Or worry a lot about
gaining weight. Bulimia can cause someone to not seem like him or herself. The
person might be moody or sad. Someone with bulimia might not want to go out
with friends.

What happens to someone who has bulimia?

Bulimia can hurt your body. Look at the picture to find out
how bulimia harms your health.

Can someone with bulimia get better?

Yes. Someone with bulimia can get better with the help of a
health care team. A doctor will provide medical care. A nutritionist
(noo-TRISH-un-ist) can teach healthy eating patterns. A therapist
(thair-uh-pist) can help the patient learn new ways to cope with thoughts and
feelings.

Therapy is an important part of any treatment plan. It
might be alone, with family members, or in a group. Medicines can help some
people with bulimia. These include medicines used to treat depression.
Medicines work best when used with therapy.

Chances of getting better are greatest when bulimia is
found out and treated early.

Can a woman who once had bulimia but is now
better get pregnant?

Active bulimia can cause a woman to miss her period
sometimes. Or, she may never get her period. If this happens, she usually does
not ovulate. This
makes it hard to get pregnant. Women who have recovered from bulimia have a
better chance of getting pregnant once their monthly cycle is normal. If you're
having a hard time getting pregnant, see your doctor.

How does bulimia affect pregnancy?

If a woman with active bulimia gets pregnant, these
problems may result:

miscarriage
high blood pressure in the mother baby isn't born alive baby tries to come out with feet or bottom first birth by C-section baby is born early low birth weight birth defects, such as blindness or mental retardation problems breastfeeding depression in the mother after the baby is born

What should I do if I think someone I know
has bulimia?

If someone you know is showing signs of bulimia, you may be
able to help.

Set a time to talk. Find a time to
talk alone with your friend. Make sure you talk in a quiet place where you
won't be bothered. Tell your friend about your concerns. Be honest. Tell your friend that you are worried about her or
his not eating or exercising too much. Tell your friend that you think
these things may be a sign of a problem that needs professional help. Ask your friend to talk to a professional. Your friend can talk to a counselor or doctor who knows about
eating issues. Offer to help your friend find a counselor or doctor and to
make an appointment. Offer to go with her or him to the appointment. Avoid conflicts. If your friend
won't admit that she or he has a problem, don't push. Be sure to tell your
friend you are always there to listen if he or she wants to talk. Don't place shame, blame, or guilt on
your friend. Don't say, "You just need to eat." Instead, say
things like, "I'm concerned about you because you won't eat breakfast
or lunch." Or, "It scares me to hear you throwing up." Don't give simple solutions. Don't
say, "If you'd just stop, then things would be fine!" Let your friend know that you will always be there no matter
what.

Adapted from "What Should I Say? Tips for Talking to a
Friend Who May Be Struggling with an Eating Disorder" from the National Eating Disorders Association.

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