Bulimia

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Over 85% of reported cases of bulimia occur in girls in their late teens and early twenties. On average, Bulimia occurs slightly later than Anorexia Nervosa. Approximately 10% of people with the condition are men.

Bulimia, medically known as bulimia nervosa, is marked by cycles of binge eating of excessive quantities of food, followed by purging using vomiting, laxatives or diuretics and/or excessive exercising.

If you have bulimia nervosa you are likely to be preoccupied with food. You may have episodes of craving food and eat vast amounts of food in secret. The common foods to binge on are sweet, high-calorie foods often though of as â€˜treatsâ€™ such as ice cream, cakes, chocolate and biscuits.

It is thought that bulimia nervosa is a physical way of dealing with depression, stress, or issues of self-esteem. It may protect you from experiencing feelings and emotions that have become distressing and intolerable. It enables feelings of short-lived control and calmness but the strategy soon becomes destructive as you begin to feel guilty, disgusted and out of control. This cycle of bingeing and purging maintains and increases the severity of the condition, which can come to dominate all your emotional experience.

The frequency of these bulimic cycles will vary. Some will binge and purge occasionally whilst others will binge and purge several times a day. Some cases of bulimia nervosa are short-lived. However often the symptoms will be present for some months or years before help is sought. Sometimes bulimia persists for many years and in some people symptoms may be present all their lives.

Sometimes in association with bulimia, other problems may be present, including drug abuse, alcohol abuse, self-harm, shoplifting and promiscuity. Also bulimia may be preceded by a brief period of Anorexia Nervosa and weight may remain low.

It is difficult to find accurate statistics about bulimia nervosa as it so often goes undiagnosed and untreated. The incidence is usually put at 0.5-1% of young women but the true incidence may be higher.