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Bulimia nervosa, also known as bulimia nervosa, is a eating disorder consisting in compulsive eating for a short period of time, followed by a compensatory behavior consisting in returning the consumed food, or imposing a strict diet bordering on fasting.
Bulimia nervosa, as the Latin name for the disease sounds, is characterized by recurring and frequent episodes of uninhibited appetite – i.e. eating a lot of food in a short time – combined with a loss of control over the eating process.
Bulimik can consume up to 3,400 calories in less than an hour. There are also known cases of consumption of 20 thousand. calories in eight hours. People with bulimia are very often aware of their problem and are scared of the fact that they cannot break the recurring cycle on their own. Gloriousness leads to the purging stage, consisting in provoking vomiting or forcing a strict diet, often endangering one’s health. Gluttony and getting rid of excess calories most often take place in secret from others, interspersed with a feeling of shame and relief.
Contrary to anorexia nervosa, people with bulimia nervosa are able to maintain a normal weight for their age. On the other hand, analogously to anorexia, they are constantly afraid that they will gain excessive weight, neglecting the qualities of their body, which partly explains why bulimic activities usually take place in secret. The cycle of compulsive eating and purging takes place several times a week and often coexists with psychological problems such as substance abuse, depression, and a constant sense of anxiety. Apart from them, there are also physical symptoms: avitaminosis, a drop in electrolytes, damage to the enamel of the teeth, irregular period, weakening of the heart and liver.
Bulimia nervosa is three to five times more common in women than in men. Statistically, depending on the country and the surveyed group of patients, lifetime bulimia varies from 0,3 to 9,4%. women and from 0,1 to 1,4 percent. men. This disease mainly affects physically active people who need to pay a lot of attention to their figure. It particularly affects adolescents, overwhelmingly among white people. Untreated, it can last up to the age of 40.
Bulimia – causes
Bulimia is definitely more than just an eating problem. Periods of bullying can be associated with a response to stress, anger or sadness. Purging, in turn, is a response to possible weight gain and an attempt to regain control over your life. There is no one proven cause of bulimia, but we know that the risk of its occurrence is increased by factors such as: specific culture in which the patient is brought up, the atmosphere in the family, drastic changes in life and exposure to stress, low self-esteem and genetic determinants.
- Bulimia is a problem that affects not only mental health, but also physical health. Talk to a psychiatrist or psychologist online to discreetly start treatment for bulimia nervosa
Bulimia is unfortunately closely related to depression. In its course (as in depression) there is a lack of self-esteem and dissatisfaction with one’s appearance. Patients cannot control not only their food, but also their emotions. There are anxiety states and a large dose of stress, which significantly affects the psyche of a person suffering from bulimia. The stress is eaten up and the body is treated like a garbage can. Depressive states often lead to suicide. In addition, drug and alcohol addiction is common in people with bulimia nervosa.
When talking about the symptoms of bulimia nervosa, there are five main features that indicate nervous bulimia. People with this type of condition:
- they constantly overeat, they can eat a huge amount of food at one time, without any control over it,
- after each meal, they provoke vomiting to avoid weight gain. In addition, patients take large amounts of laxatives and starve together with vigorous exercise;
- from the point of view of others, they do not appear to have any eating problems;
- suffer from ravenous appetite and at the same time want to get rid of it;
- pay attention only to their body weight and appearance; these are two factors that significantly influence the patient’s self-esteem.
Bulimia can be:
1.laxative – the patient regularly provokes vomiting and takes laxatives, diuretics, and in extreme cases an enema. Such a procedure often leads to addiction to laxatives, which makes treatment more difficult;
2. non-purging – this type of bulimia is characterized by intense exercise and fasting. The patient usually does not regularly induce vomiting and does not take laxatives.
Bulimics very often schedule binge eating episodes. Then they eat a large amount of high-energy products, i.e. sweets, fast food and easy-to-eat creams. Relatives of the patient often have no idea about the problem because it is hidden. Binge eating often occurs at night when everyone is asleep and during the day when the household is at work or school. Loss of temporary control over one’s own behavior is only inhibited by abdominal pain that occurs as a result of its overflow. The appearance of a second person also embarrasses the bulimic.
Bulimia is a dangerous chronic disease that, in extreme cases, can even lead to death. A characteristic symptom of bulimia nervosa is the swelling of the parotid glands and the destruction of the tooth enamel. When diagnosing bulimia, the following criteria are taken into account:
- the sick person’s focus exclusively on food and a strong desire to eat something;
- the occurrence of binge eating episodes at least twice a week within three months; during this period, the patient eats a lot of food;
- patient’s self-esteem – he considers himself obese; he is afraid of gaining weight all the time, which turns into depression over time;
- avoiding weight gain by inducing vomiting; hunger strikes; causing diarrhea; the use of diuretics and appetite suppressants.
Treatment of bulimia nervosa
As in the case of anorexia nervosa, treatment of bulimia nervosa requires a combination of many different methods and is based on the individual psychological conditions of the patient. You may need to see a dietitian and psychologist to break the cycle of compulsive eating and purging. It turned out to be particularly effective in the course of research on combating bulimia cognitive behavioral therapy (it is based on the assumption that the body’s wrong thinking pattern that underlies bulimia nervosa can be recognized and changed) and medications such as the antidepressant fluoxetine. In combination with each other, they eliminate the mechanical habits of reaching for food and improve the general mental state of the patient, the cause of which most often lies the source of the problem.
Problems with bulimia often begin at a young age, so it is worth consulting a child psycho-dietician as soon as we notice the first disturbing symptoms. Take advantage of the offer of a private medical facility.
See also: Which drugs contain fluoxetine?
Therapies helping to deal with bulimia are carried out both individually and in groups. Family therapy brings good results in both young and elderly patients. It is the parents or guardians who often feel guilty for the situation. Parental involvement in their child’s illness helps to combat eating disorders.
Sometimes therapists introduce a patient’s nutrition and emotions diary along with elements of psychodynamic therapy. It gives very good results.
Bulimia and its effects
Long-term bulimia disease can lead to complications practically throughout the body. Cardiovascular complications are as follows:
- disturbances in the level of potassium affecting the proper functioning of the heart and circulatory system (including calcium and vitamins);
- disorders of the metabolic pathways;
- shortness of breath;
- damage to the central and peripheral nervous system.
Bulimia harms the digestive system the most. In patients, as a result of high exhaustion and regular vomiting, damage to the body and organs occurs. As a result, there may be: damage to the back wall of the throat; gastric laxity; damage to the esophagus, or even disruption of its continuity; the formation of erosions in the esophagus and stomach; chronic pancreatitis; damage to the enamel of the teeth (interaction of hydrochloric acid in the stomach); erosion of the back wall of the pharynx; tooth decay and gingivitis; enlargement of the salivary glands; ulcers located on the back of the hand and drying of the skin and stretch marks on the skin. In women, bulimia can also lead to amenorrhea and problems with fertility.