Bulimia nervosa, more commonly referred to simply as bulimia, is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder. People suffering from this disease periodically overeat, binge on food with excessive zeal, and then "purify" by trying to get rid of excess calories using unhe althy methods. Most often, there are repeated attempts to artificially induce vomiting and an exorbitant passion for heavy physical exercises. Sometimes patients "clear" even after small snacks or normal meals.
Thus, cases of bulimia can be classified into two types:
- bulimia with "purgation" involving forced vomiting or abuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas after a binge;
- bulimic neurosis without a "cleansing" - in cases where a person tries to get rid of calories and prevent weight gain through fasting, strict diets or overly strenuous exercise.
However, keep in mind that these two typesDisorders are often combined in eating behavior, and therefore getting rid of excess calories by any of these methods can be called "cleansing".
If you suffer from this disease, most likely you are overly concerned about your weight and body measurements. Perhaps you judge yourself harshly for imaginary flaws in appearance. Since bulimia is primarily associated with self-esteem and only after that - with food, such a disorder is very difficult to overcome. However, effective treatment usually makes you feel much better, develop he althy eating habits, and eliminate serious complications.
Symptoms
If the patient has bulimic neurosis, the symptoms of the disorder may be expressed as follows:
- constant thoughts about weight and appearance;
- endless fear of getting fat;
- feeling out of control over your eating behavior;
- overeating to the point of discomfort or pain;
- eating significantly more food during a bout of hunger than normal;
- forced vomiting or excessive exercise to prevent weight gain after eating;
- abuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas after meals;
- strict calorie counting or avoiding certain foods between hunger pangs;
- excessive consumption of dietary supplements or herbal preparations intended for weight loss.
Reasons
The exact causes of this disease are still being investigated by scientists. Factors that can potentially contribute to eating disorders include biological characteristics, emotional well-being, social criteria, and other circumstances.
Risk factors
Too frequent and persistent signal "I want to eat" entering the brain indicates a person's predisposition to an eating disorder. The following factors contribute to the development of the disorder:
- Belonging to the female sex. Most often, bulimia is diagnosed in girls and women.
- Age. Usually, the pathology manifests itself in girls aged 17-25.
- Biology. If the patient's immediate family (siblings, parents, or children) is prone to eating disorders, the disorder may eventually manifest itself in him. Scientists do not deny the possibility of the existence of a genetic predisposition to bulimia. In addition, a significant role can be played by a deficiency of serotonin in the brain. Excess weight in a child or adolescent increases the risk of pathology in the future.
- Psychological and emotional problems. Mental instability, including anxiety disorder and low self-esteem, contributes to the increase in the normal “I want to eat” signal. A person begins to overeat due to stress, a bad opinion of himself, the presence of food in the refrigerator, suffering from diets, and simply out of boredom. In some cases, the situation is exacerbated by psychologicalinjuries and severe environmental pollution.
- Pressure from the media. On television and Internet channels, in fashion magazines, people constantly see a lot of thin models and actors. The abundance of ideal figures in show business seems to equate harmony with success and popularity. However, it is still unknown whether social values are reflected in the media or, on the contrary, it is the media that guides public opinion.
- Work related stress. Uncontrolled appetite is very common among professional athletes, actors, dancers and models. Coaches and relatives often inadvertently increase the risk of neurosis in their trainees by inspiring young athletes to lose weight, stay light, and eat smaller meals in order to improve exercise performance.
Treatment
Bulimia usually requires a combination of several treatments; the most effective is the combination of psychotherapy with antidepressants.
Most often, doctors practice a team approach, when not only a specialist, but also family members of the patient, as well as a therapist or other attending physician participate in therapy.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy, or psychological counseling, is the discussion of a disorder and associated problems with a professional physician. According to research, the following types of psychological counseling are characterized by proven effectiveness:
- cognitive behavioral therapy that allows the patient toindependently identify unhe althy, negative beliefs and behaviors and replace them with more favorable opinions and habits;
- family therapy aimed at targeted parental intervention in teenage child's eating disorder;
- interpersonal therapy that analyzes the difficulties in close relationships and improves communication and problem-solving skills.
Medicines
Antidepressants can reduce the intensity of symptoms of a pathology such as bulimic neurosis. Treatment is most often in the form of courses of Prozac, which is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).
How to cope with the disease yourself
- Constantly remind yourself of what is considered normal weight for your body.
- Resist the urge to go on a diet or skip meals as this can trigger overeating.
- Develop a plan to deal with emotional pressure. Eliminate or neutralize sources of stress.
- Find positive role models that will help you boost your self-esteem.
- Take up an interesting hobby that can distract you from thinking about overeating and "cleansing".
Purposeful work on yourself is the best remedy for bulimia, allowing you to pacify the wolf's hunger and prevent the need to burn extra calories.
