Bulimia is characterized by alternating episodes of binge eating and purging. The person gorges, usually on high caloric foods, and intentionally vomits or uses laxatives or diuretics.
A binge cycle is usually triggered by unpleasant feelings or situation, such as a depressed mood, a stressful interpersonal interaction, or discomfort regarding one’s body weight.
It is a syndrome of negative eating and focused on the subjective experience of abnormality of the eating pattern.
The consequences are serious: dehydration, organ damage, internal bleeding from the stress or vomiting, tooth decay from acids in vomit, and in some cases, death. Many people with these eating disorder alternate between anorexia and bulimia.
Bulimics experience a loss of control during a binging episode. This is usually followed by intense negative feelings about the binge behavior including guilt, shame and disgust.
Reports indicate that 60 percent of people who have dieted extensively or starved themselves resort to bingeing, then purging to keep weight.
Purging most often takes the form of vomiting; the bulimic makes herself throw up in a desperate attempt to get rid of the food consumed during the binge.
Bulimia
