Bulimia is an eating disorder which can be treated to a greater extent by giving an emotional support. Know more about bulimia, its causes, symptoms and treatments.
Our body is our real companion, right from birth and till death. It is
our actual identity. However there are many people in this world who
are not satisfied about their physical appearance. Because of this
dissatisfaction many of them prefer new diet plans,
exercises or putting on some weight. Some become so obsessed with
having a body of their desire that they become victims of overeating or
starvation.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet
are very important for body but overdoing such things can result in
serious disorders. In most of the cases this happens when people ignore
the importance of staying healthy. The more important thing for them is
either losing weight or gaining weight. One such disorder which is caused due to improper eating habits is Bulimia. Read on and know more about this eating disorder.
What is bulimia?
Bulimia is a psychological eating disorder which is also known as bulimia nervosa.
The person is affected by bulimia when he or she is depressed, stressed
or has some self esteem problems. The disorder has no relation with
hunger but the affected person consumes larger quantities of food as
compared to normal individuals. This type of food eating habit is known
as binge eating.
Purging is often followed by binge eating in person affected by
bulimia. Purging refers to usage of laxatives and diuretics, vomiting,
fasting or too much of exercising. The cycle of being-eating and
purging is an important characteristic of bulimia. This is all about
forcing ones own self to control weight.
Causes of bulimia
The exact causes of bulimia are not known but it can be influenced by the following factors
Fear of becoming an obese
Dissatisfaction about the physical appearance
Stress
Frustration
Lack of self control
Symptoms of bulimia
Though person suffering from bulimia look normal and have normal weight, they can show following symptoms.
Consuming excessive food (binge-eating)
Controlling diet very strictly
Following improper method for controlling weight
Delayed menstruation cycle
Performing forceful exercises
Occurrence of blood in vomit
Need of using toilet repeatedly
Fasting frequently
Digestion problems
Risks associated with bulimia
The symptoms which are common in people suffering with bulimia disorder can result in some complications. Binge-eating and purging can result in the risks as follows.
Swollen salivary glands or soreness in salivary glands
Tooth decay
Ulcers in stomach and other stomach problems
Esophagus disorders
Frequent exposure of food containing some acids can cause tooth enamel erosion
Heart attack in case of severe bulimia or abnormal heart beats
Treatments for bulimia
Bulimia can be treated to a greater extent. The treatment of a bulimic
patient involves helping patient to control or stop binge-eating and
purging cycle and dealing with emotional issues. This issue of
treatment can be handled effectively with the help of an expert. Along
with the treatments, taking patient away from stress and mental tension
can help faster recovery. Some medications prescribed by the expert can
also aid to the treatment of the bulimic patient.
The treatment of the bulimic patient should also be supplemented by emotional support, love and care. It is very critical to make the patient understand the importance of healthy
body over reducing or increasing weight. However, people closely
associated with the patient also need to posses patience and tolerance.
These two qualities are essential as patient may behave indifferently
because of stress. Understanding such behaviour is also important for
treating a person coping with bulimia. Treating bulimia is all about
changing the mindset of a bulimic patient.
Do eat when you are not hungry? Have you seen any thin person going for a strict diet plan? What can be the consequences of overeating?
Linnet
Bulimia can be influenced highly due to fashion trend of looking thin. I think models and actresses have higher risk of getting this disorder. I have also heard that when these modals and actresses ha...
Sandra
As the bulimic patient do all the things like binge eating or purging secretly, hardly any one can state that the person has bulimia. However when the diagnosis is difficult the treatment can also tak...
Freddy
Bulimia is dangerous as it can cause other disorders too. It can cause problems to stomach as well as disturb the functioning of digestive system. This is because our body has a capacity of digesting ...
