Bulimia Symptoms & Solutions

Eating disorders are one of the most common diseases to afflict America’s youth – and it’s not just teens who are suffering from this debilitating disease. More adults than ever (including those who are 50+) are starting to show symptoms commonly associated with anorexia and bulimia. Experts pinpoint this new phenomenon as a result of the media’s constant bombardment of stick-thin models, as well as the harried lifestyles that we lead in this modern time. Between darting to and from the office, picking up the kids from school and maintaining a happy household, many adults are stuck wondering if they’ll ever be able to have time to eat again.
However, bulimia – an eating disorder that develops when the victim ingests their food and then later purges it from their body through self-induced vomiting – arises due to the sufferer’s need for control over his or her life. Bulimics often have other psychological problems that may predispose them to developing this eating disorder, including ODC or a severe lack of confidence. Experts agree that most body dysmorphic disorders (under which eating disorders fall under) arise from a lack of self-confidence, which is further encouraged due to a combination of environment and genetics.

If you’re worried that a loved one may be suffering from bulimia, here are the most common symptoms:

1. Binge eating. Although you may think that people suffering from body disorders avoid food, bulimics binge eat because they know that they’ll be purging the food later.
2. Frequent use of the bathroom after meals. Bulimics usually purge no more than an hour after eating a meal.
3. Physical irregularities like a missed menstrual cycle, swollen glands and constant sore throats.
4. Obsession over weight issues. A bulimic may have tried to diet in the past with no success, or may make constant comments about his or her weight. Keep on the lookout for these comments, as a bulimic will try to hide their disease by pretending that everything is fine.
5. A bulimic will often turn to food during highly emotional times in order to control feelings of stress. Carefully observe how your loved one treats food, and be sure to speak up if he or she turns to food to deal with stressful situations.
6. A bulimic will fluctuate with their weight, with a consistent trend towards being underweight. While binge eating might pack on a few pounds, a bulimic will be too thin due to constant purging. Don’t ignore sudden weight-loss; instead, talk to your loved one about any body issues they may have.
7. A bulimic will display typical symptoms of depression, as body dysmorphic issues typically co-concur with psychological illnesses.

If you’ve been purging yourself in the effort to lose weight, it’s absolutely vital to your health – and your life – to seek help from a professional who can assist you with addressing body issues that you have. Additionally, if a loved one has been displaying any or all of these symptoms, don’t waste any precious time by denying that there’s a problem – instead, contact a therapist right away to get your loved one on the road to recovery. Remember, eating disorders can result in death if left unchecked, so don’t sit around if you suspect that you or a loved one may be suffering from a body dysmorphic disorder.

Tags: Bulimia, warning signs