Bulimia is more prevalent nutritional disorder than anorexia and often develops later in life, from the mid to late teens or early twenties. Studies show that between 0.5% and 2% of young women in the UK have bulimia. There are two main characteristics of bulimia. Persons regularly binge, which suggests that eating large quantities of food in private, as long as they feel uncomfortably full. They feel that they have little or no control during a binge and, as a rule, there are “forbidden” foods high in carbohydrates.
Bingeing usually followed by intense feelings of guilt and shame. To compensate for the food consumed during a binge, the individual, then uses the other behaviors, such as vomiting, laxative abuse or excessive exercise. This is often called “cleaning” behavior.
People with bulimia are locked in regular cycling bingeing and clean and usually have an overwhelming sense of shame about their nutritional. The frequency of the cycle varies from one person to another, and there are also significant differences in cleaning behavior.
Teenagers, who unsuccessfully tried to diet, but sometimes do not believe that this cycle of bingeing and cleaning will help them successfully lose weight. Studies show people with bulimia are often normal weight, and if left untreated, over time, there tends to be weight gain, instead of weight loss. Bulimia is often associated with low self-esteem or a general lack of confidence. Nevertheless, this cycle has a range of harmful effects on the body. Some of these side effects will be seen from quite an early stage in bulimia. These may include: * a permanent and weight of major changes.
* Stretch marks.
* Sore throat, erosion of tooth enamel and bad breath caused by excessive vomiting.
* Swollen salivary glands, making a face, round and puffy.
* Poor skin condition and possible hair loss.
* Irregular menstrual periods or loss of, or periods.
* Lethargy and fatigue.
* Abdominal pain and bloating.
* Chronic constipation and the risk of intestinal problems due to abuse of laxatives.
There are a number of very serious consequences for people who continue to suffer with untreated bulimia for a long period of time. Many people with bulimia develop chronic dehydration caused by vomiting and using laxatives. This can lead to low levels of potassium, causes a wide spectrum of symptoms ranging from lethargy and muddled thinking, the heart, potentially life-threatening and kidney problems. Another serious complication of bulimia nervosa is the rupture of the stomach.
Bulimia has a lower mortality rate than anorexia. However, very rare and extreme cases death can occur due to heart failure. Fortunately, people with bulimia usually need to overcome their eating disorder and feel less ambivalent about the change than those with anorexia. The difficulty usually lies in seeking help, people with bulimia are often deeply ashamed of their feeding habits and care, if they gain support, their problems will be dismissed.
However, studies show that people with bulimia, also respond to treatment. The form of behavioral therapy, intended for eating disorders called CBT-E is very effective for people with bulimia.