Was there a time when you craved so much food that you couldn’t stop eating? And before you knew it, you started feeling guilty because of all the calories you’ve just taken. You might wonder if this was because of your hormones or just plain emotional eating. Or maybe this happens regularly, and it crossed your mind that perhaps you have an eating disorder.
- What is bulimia nervosa?
- What are symptoms of bulimia nervosa? Of binging and purging?
- What are consequences of bulimia nervosa?
- What are causes of bulimia nervosa?
- What are treatment and prevention options for someone with bulimia nervosa?
Woman drinking soda at the table with junk food, pexels.com
Bulimia Nervosa Definition in Psychology
Research by Ricca et al. (2012) says that emotional eating is a possible trigger for binge eating, particularly in bulimia nervosa. People with eating disorders have higher scores on emotional eating scales than those without eating disorders. Bulimia nervosa is one of the many types of eating disorders. But before we talk about bulimia, let’s define eating disorders.
APA Dictionary of Psychology (n.d.) defines bulimia nervosa as an eating disorder marked by recurrent uncontrolled eating of large quantities of food followed by behaviors that compensate for uncontrolled eating, such as laxative abuse or self-induced vomiting.
Woman eating a whole box of chocolate cake, pexels.com
This illness is different from a binge-eating disorder where the inappropriate behaviors to make up for the binge eating episodes are absent. But, what about anorexia nervosa?
Difference Between Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are eating disorders described as overvaluing thinness with dysfunctional eating patterns. The fundamental distinction between the two diagnoses is that anorexia nervosa involves self-starvation, with weight loss reaching 15 percent or more of the ideal body weight. In contrast, bulimia nervosa patients usually have average weights or may even be slightly overweight.
While bulimia nervosa involves extreme dieting, binging, and purging (e.g., vomiting, laxatives, diuretics), patients with anorexia nervosa who binge and purge are likely diagnosed with anorexia nervosa over the binge/purge type eating disorders. Constant and strenuous exercising to lose weight and avoiding weight gain are typical of anorexia and bulimia nervosa.
Criteria for Diagnosis of Bulimia Nervosa
In the DSM-5, the diagnostic criteria are as follows:
- Persistent episodes of binge eating that include:
Eating unusually larger quantities of food than normally other people would eat under the same period (e.g., within an hour or two) and conditions.
Feeling lack of control during the episode, such as over how much one eats or restraining oneself from eating.
Behaviors that compensate for the binge eating episodes, such as excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting, fasting, and abuse of laxatives, diuretics, and other medications.
Episodes of binge eating and negative behaviors occur at least once a week for three months.
One's body and weight heavily influence self-opinion.
The distress and other negative behaviors accompanied by this condition aren't only present in episodes of anorexia nervosa.
Bulimia Nervosa Symptoms
The binge-purge cycle, an eating pattern characterized by bulimia nervosa, involves various signs and symptoms that indicate whether the individual is exhibiting binging or purging.
Binge Symptoms
Some of the most common binge symptoms include:
Eating large amounts of food is seen as numerous empty food wrappers, containers in the trash bin, and the disappearance of food in a short time.
Concealment of binge episodes such as eating alone, keeping food stashes in strange places, and having a set schedule for binge eating.
No sense of control over eating, such as reaching the point of physical discomfort.
Regularly switching between overeating and fasting, sometimes skipping meals or limiting food intake to small portions during regular meals—rare instances of eating normally.
Purge Symptoms
Purge symptoms are:
Frequent bathroom trips after meals to throw up and hiding the sound of vomiting by running the water
Drinking laxatives, diuretics, or diet pills after meals to compensate for binging and prevent weight gain
Using mouthwash, gums, and mint excessively to hide the smell of vomiting
Engaging in strenuous exercises, including high-intensity activities such as running, especially after eating
A man experiencing tooth pain and sensitivity, pixabay.com
Physical Signs of Bulimia Nervosa
Some of the common signs of bulimia nervosa are:
Noticeable weight changes; weight may range from average to overweight due to cycles of binging and purging.
Callused knuckles and hands due to sticking fingers often down the throat to induce vomiting
Dental issues (e.g., cavities, sensitivity, and discoloration of teeth because of purging)
Bulimia face (puffy cheeks and face swelling)
Hair thinning and strands that are dry and brittle
Dry skin and nails
Health Consequences of Bulimia
Bulimia nervosa is a severe and life-threatening illness. Long-term purging and prolonged use of laxatives and diuretics can cause dehydration and low potassium levels. Potassium is essential for normal heart function, and chronic low potassium can cause a wide range of symptoms such as irregular heartbeat, kidney failure, and even death.
Other health consequences of bulimia nervosa include:
Digestive problems (e.g., bloating, acid reflux, ulcers, cramps, and constipation)
Swelling in the vicinity of the salivary glands
Weakened immune system and wound healing
Irregular menstrual period
Injured stomach and esophagus
Harmful Mental Effects of Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa, like most eating disorders, does not appear suddenly; instead, it develops gradually over time. Before purging, people with bulimia usually show signs of low self-esteem and negative body image. The last psychological effects to appear are usually the binging and purging behaviors. The psychological effects of bulimia nervosa are short-term and long-term.
Short-Term Harmful Mental Effects of Bulimia Nervosa
Negative body-image
Feeling insignificant and having poor self-esteem
Frequently compares oneself with others
Extreme attempts to lose weight (e.g., fad diets and cutting out certain foods in one's diet)
Mealtime discomfort or unpleasantness
Before making an official diagnosis of bulimia nervosa, specific behaviors characterized in this condition must continually appear for at least six months. The problem, however, is that bulimics tend to switch from one eating pattern to another, making short-term diagnosis impossible.
For example, a person binging and purging for several months but eventually abandons binge eating due to newfound restriction patterns typical of anorexia nervosa. Careful monitoring of all disordered behaviors and planning accordingly is vital.
A woman experiencing depression, pexels.com
Long-Term Harmful Mental Effects of Bulimia Nervosa
Depression: Feeling a lack of control over eating and purging behaviors might lead to a new or worsening bout of depression. Spiraling into depression leads to more negative outcomes such as losing hope or confidence, insomnia, demotivation, chronic fatigue, and even weight gain or weight loss.
Anxiety: An excessive worry or fear of the future and preoccupation with the past. Experiencing a tragic event can leave a person traumatized, becoming a source of fear, feeding his anxiety. As he struggles with it, he may find temporary relief from binge eating and purging, even at the cost of his health.
Suicide: Suicide rates among bulimia nervosa patients and other eating disorders are higher than those without eating disorders. Because bulimia is not just an eating disorder but also a severe mental health concern, suicide prevention is necessary, especially in severe cases of bulimia nervosa.
There are also co-existing conditions among people with bulimia nervosa, including self-harm, drug abuse (which can also trigger depression), impulsiveness or being uncontrollable, and insulin misuse (diabulimia).
Causes of Bulimia Nervosa
There is no single cause attributed to bulimia nervosa. Many factors contribute to its development, such as biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors.
Biological Factors
Genetics contributes more than half of the risk of developing this eating disorder. Having a mother or a sister with bulimia increases your likelihood of developing it too up to four times if you're a woman. But even without a family history of bulimia, an individual can still have this illness. Certain inherited personality traits also increase the overall risk of developing bulimia.
The following traits usually characterize someone with bulimia nervosa:
Excessive impulsivity
Sudden and frequent mood changes
Having intense emotions
Inability to see the bigger picture
Difficulty accepting and adjusting to new perspectives or information (rigid thinking)
Psychological Factors
A person's mental and emotional state also contributes to the development of bulimia nervosa. Poor psychological conditions can lead to distorted views and self-criticism, evident in individuals with this illness. Having low self-esteem causes negative thinking patterns that can lead to bulimia. Perfectionists are also at a greater risk of having this illness because of the way they see their mistakes and having extreme concern for approval.
Sociocultural Factors
Concepts of beauty accepted by the norm, beliefs, and customs relating to eating and media influences are some of the socio-cultural factors that increase the risk of developing bulimia nervosa. Unrealistic beauty standards portrayed by the media, specific cultural values about appearance, and even situations that emphasize weight and appearance put pressure on people adding burden to the risk of having this condition.
Traumatic events are also triggering factors in eating disorders. Tagay et al.'s (2014) research shows that those with eating disorders endured a traumatic event, especially those within the bulimia eating disorder circle.
Bulimia Nervosa: Treatment and Prevention
Successfully addressing eating orders requires early detection and treatment as more serious medical consequences are common in people with eating disorders. Generally, treatment for eating disorders includes talk therapy, medical treatment and monitoring, dietary counseling, pharmaceuticals, or a mix of these approaches.
Women having therapy sessions, pexels.com
For people who have bulimia, therapy is an essential component of treatment. Counseling sessions help address poor view of body shape and weight, feelings of isolation, and embarrassment due to the binge-purge cycle—the choice of therapy for bulimia nervosa cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Learn more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) here!
In bulimia nervosa, this therapy focuses on the eating patterns and distorted thoughts that feed the unhealthy cycle.
Here's what you may expect from bulimia treatment:
Stopping the cycle of binging and purging: The first stage is to break the binge-purge cycle and develop normal eating habits. You learn to keep track of your eating habits, avoid situations that tempt you to binge, deal with stress other than food, eat regularly to curb hunger, and resist the need to purge.
Modifying harmful thinking patterns and behavior: The second stage of this treatment is recognizing and correcting unhealthy ideas about body weight, eating, and body shape. You learn to discover healthy perceptions about eating and discourage the notion that weight determines one's self-worth.
Taking care of emotional problems: The last part of this treatment entails addressing the underlying emotional issues that led to the eating disorder, such as relationship problems, self-esteem issues, anxiety, depression, and feelings of shame and isolation.
Prevention
No one knows how to prevent bulimia nervosa with certainty. Though many risk factors (e.g., genetics) are at play in developing bulimia nervosa, like any eating disorder, adapting a healthy view of body weight, shape, eating habits, and keeping mental health in check is essential. Following a healthy lifestyle like coping with stress in healthy ways may also help reduce the risk of having bulimia nervosa.
Here are some helpful ways to help prevent bulimia nervosa:
Become self-aware of the illness and educate oneself on symptoms and risk factors.
Seek help from a medical doctor after identification of any warning signs.
Learn about healthy eating practices and create positive lifestyle changes to help deal with stress and other problems.
Be mindful of any self-criticisms about body, weight, or overall health and adopt a positive body image.
Always keep in check your mental health.
Bulimia Nervosa - Key takeaways
- Bulimia involves harmful eating habits and psychological problems perpetuating the negative binge-purge cycle.
- Physical signs of bulimia nervosa include callused knuckles, puffy cheeks, thinning hair, brittle nails, and maintaining a stable weight.
- There are health consequences of bulimia brought about by long-term purging and use of laxatives, diuretics, and other pills, such as dehydration, abnormal laboratory results, heart and kidney problems, and dental issues.
- There are also short- and long-term harmful mental effects of bulimia, such as self-isolation (short-term) and depression (long-term).
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the therapy of choice for bulimia nervosa.
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