Loader
Processing....

The Beginner's Guide to Understanding Bulimia

Sarah Adams
29 Jul 2022

Bulimia nervosa, or bulimia as it's commonly called, is an eating disorder that involves bingeing and purging. It has a number of symptoms and warning signs, but the most common is bingeing followed by purging in order to relieve feelings of guilt associated with overeating. The behaviours associated with bulimia often lead people to develop other mental health conditions like depression or anxiety disorders. If you have been diagnosed with bulimia, it's important for you to know that there are several different treatment options available—including medications such as antidepressants—that can help manage your symptoms so you can live a full life without being controlled by food cravings or feelings of guilt about overeating. You also need to know how important it is for anyone who supports someone with this condition (e.g., parents, siblings) not only understand how dangerous these behaviours are but also make sure they don't become enablers themselves by helping out too much."

Bulimia is an eating disorder characterised by episodes of binge-eating followed by purging.

Bingeing refers to eating a large amount of food in a short period of time, whereas purging refers to getting rid of food by vomiting, fasting or using laxatives. Bulimia can be dangerous because it can cause serious medical problems. If you think that you have bulimia, or if someone close to you thinks they might have bulimia, get help right away! Bulimic behaviours should be taken seriously and treated with professional guidance before they become worse or lead to other issues like depression and substance abuse problems down the line.

Bulimia is not the same as obesity.

While they do share some similarities, bulimia is a serious health problem that requires professional help to overcome. Bulimia can be both a mental and physical illness, even though the treatment process varies depending on which aspect you’re focusing on at any given time.

Bulimia is often treated through psychotherapy (talking therapy), medication and/or nutritional counselling; however these treatments are not always enough to fully recover from bulimia. Many people who have struggled with bulimia for years will eventually need additional treatment options like inpatient care or residential treatment programs before they are able to fully recover from their eating disorder.

Bulimia can be deadly, and there are many different paths to recovery.

Bulimia is a serious mental illness that can have deadly consequences. However, you do not have to go through this alone: There are many different paths to recovery, and there are many different treatment options available to you.

There are many different treatment modalities available as well. Some of these include:

  • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT)
  • Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT)
  • Family-based treatment (FBT)

These treatments work by helping individuals with bulimia overcome the negative behaviours associated with their illness and learn new ways of coping with problems.

In bulimia, there is a cycle of uncontrolled restrictive eating, binging and purging that can cause serious physical and emotional harm.

Bulimia is a serious mental illness that requires treatment. It's not the same as obesity, an eating disorder that's characterised by episodes of uncontrolled overeating and periods of restrictive eating or fasting. People with bulimia binge-eat, then purge their bodies to get rid of the extra calories. These cycles can cause serious physical and emotional harm if left untreated for too long.

A person with bulimia often feels out of control during a binge-eating episode but may deny it later on when confronted about her behaviour. To prevent weight gain after bingeing, she purges by vomiting or using laxatives or diuretics (medications that increase urination). The whole process can take place over just a few hours—or even minutes—but the effects linger long after the food has been consumed and digested, leaving her feeling exhausted and depressed at best, emotionally detached at worst.

In bulimia, there's a cycle of binging and then purging that may include laxatives or fasting.

The bingeing and purging cycle of bulimia can be brutal to your body. In a binge, you take in large amounts of food in a short time period. After you eat, you may feel out of control or disgusted with yourself for eating so much food. This can lead to feelings of shame and guilt that trigger a desire to get rid of the food through vomiting or using laxatives or fasting (going without food).

In many cases, people who have bulimia also use laxatives and diuretics (medicines that increase urination) as ways to purge after bingeing on food. Some people also vomit after eating too much at one time or use enemas containing water to cleanse themselves after they’ve eaten too much sugar or fat-rich foods like ice cream or pizza.

If you have bulimia, you may be afraid of gaining weight.

You might think that eating normally would cause you to gain weight, and then you’d have to use your purging behaviours again. You may be afraid to eat because it will lead to bingeing and purging—or so you say. But the truth is, when people stop bingeing and purging every day, their bodies become more efficient at processing food. In other words, they lose weight over time because they aren’t throwing up everything they eat!

To help treat bulimia, you'll need to recognize what triggers your bingeing, stop avoiding your feelings through food and learn new ways to cope with difficult situations.

  • Recognize what triggers your bingeing
  • Stop avoiding your feelings through food
  • Learn new ways to cope with difficult situations

A person with bulimia may eat out at restaurants or in other public places so that others won't see how much they're eating or the act of purging.

Bulimia is a serious mental health issue that can be fatal. It's also highly treatable and manageable. If you or someone you know has bulimia, remember that it is a very real disease that can be treated and managed with professional help.

For those of us who have never suffered from an eating disorder or have little experience managing one, it's easy to forget how serious these illnesses can be—but they are indeed the deadliest mental health conditions out there.

People with bulimia often have other mental health problems along with the eating disorder.

People with bulimia are often struggling with a range of mental health problems, including depression or anxiety. They also may have problems with body image issues and low self-esteem, as well as other eating disorders or substance abuse. In addition, people who struggle with bulimia often engage in other self-destructive behaviours such as substance abuse and self-harm.

Bulimia is an illness that usually involves cycles of bingeing (eating large amounts of food) followed by purging (regurgitating food to avoid gaining weight). People who struggle with bulimia may feel ashamed about their eating habits and try to hide them from others for fear of being judged or criticised for their behaviour.

“A person with bulimia may avoid socialising around mealtimes because they don't want others to know that they are bingeing in private,” says Crisp. “They may eat out at restaurants or in other public places so that others won't see how much they're eating. If you notice this behaviour and ask your friend about it, he or she might deny it or say it's just a preference for eating alone, not a problem.”

It's important to support your loved one if you suspect he or she has an eating disorder—even if it goes against what society deems normal behaviour when dining together as friends or family members. It can be difficult at first to confront someone about their behaviour and concerns, but doing so can help save lives by breaking down barriers of secrecy surrounding these disorders and encouraging people who need help to seek treatment before the situation gets worse.

Bulimia is a serious mental illness, but it is treatable. If you think you have bulimia, talk to your doctor or seek help from an eating disorder specialist. They can connect you with treatment options that will work for you. If you're worried about someone else who might have bulimia, speak up and offer your support. Let the person know that treatment can be effective and remind them that they are not alone in this struggle.

If you, or someone you know, is in need of emergency care or urgent crisis intervention, please contact your local emergency numbers immediately