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Bulimia (literally translated means "hunger
like an ox") is a psychological illness characterized by secret
episodes of uncontrolled binge-eating followed by inappropriate
methods of weight control such as self-induced vomiting, fasting,
abuse of laxative, enemas, diuretic and diet pills, or excessive
exercise.
Such bulimic behaviours can be very harmful and
dangerous to an individual's body and over time may lead to serious medical complications
or even death.
Bulimia can quickly become a vicious circle
of dieting and bingeing of which it can be very hard to get out of.
Quotes
from people with bulimia...
"I was sitting on the floor
in front of the fridge in the middle of the night and eating a loaf of bread,
a box of cookies, a bag of chips and then some ice cream and juice to help it
all go down. I felt so guilty afterwards that I threw it all up."
"I
eat thousands of calories in a single eating period!"
"The
only thing I really looked forward to was bingeing and purging. Instead of being
with my friends, I was eating tons of food... and then throwing it all up."
"I
vomit after every meal no matter how little food I had. My stomach and my throat
hurt all the time."
"I am dependent so much on my bulimia. I know
it has control over me but it is what makes me happy. Binging
and purging is the only thing I look forward to."
Myth #1: Only teenage (Caucasian) girls have
bulimia.
Eating disorders can affect anyone--no matter what their
gender, race, age, sexual preference, profession, religious
or cultural background. Consider this:
One out of ten eating disorder sufferers is male.
Children as young as four years old can develop eating
disorders
Individuals in their 40s, 50s, and 60s can also suffer
from eating disorders, either having developed them during
adolescence or even in mid-life.
Myth #2: Anorexia is the only serious eating
disorder.
Even though anorexia has the highest mortality rate of
all eating disorders, every form of this disease can do
serious, long-term damage to the body and in extreme cases
end in the sufferer's death, most commonly by cardiac arrest
or suicide.
Myth #3: You can tell by someone's appearance
if they have an eating disorder
Eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes. In many
cases, it is not possible to tell if someone has an eating
disorder simply by looking at them. Most sufferers look
"normal." In fact, that can be one of the most dangerous
things about this disease - sufferers can hide them perfectly
for months, years and sometimes, even a lifetime.
Most anorexics don't look like the extreme cases shown
on television (ie. like walking skeletons). Such a person
may look thin, but don't necessarily look "sick".
Bulimics often look to have a healthy weight.
Myth #4: Bulimia is about food and weight.
Contrary to popular belief, eating disorders are not about
food, weight, appearance or beauty. They are an attempt
to use food and weight to deal with underlying psychological
problems. An eating disorder is simply the symptom of something
deeper going on inside.
Because eating disorders are not about food, saying 'just
eat" to an anorexic or "stop purging" to a bulimic does
not help.
Eating disorders are a complex disorder and require the
assistance of both a trained professional and a willingness
by the sufferer to want to get better in the first place.
Myth #5: Once you have an eating disorder,
you're stuck with it forever.
Full recovery from an eating disorder is possible. In fact,
it's more common to recover than not. All it takes is a
willingness to get better, as well as help and support from
friends, family and trained professionals.
If you unfortunately suffer from an eating disorder,
know that you are not alone. Reach out for help and support
to get you started on your road to recovery.
sore throat, tooth decay and bad breath caused
by excessive vomiting
loss of the enamel on the teeth (it is dissolved
by the stomach acid in the vomit)
swollen salivary glands making the
face rounder
poor skin condition
hair loss
irregular
‘periods’ or even loss of period
loss of interest in sex
lethargy
and tiredness
increased risk of heart problems and problems with other
internal organs
constipation
in extreme cases, bulimia can cause
heart failure
an imbalance or dangerously low levels of the essential
minerals in the body can significantly, even fatally affect the working of vital
internal organs
What to do when you feel
like losing control... Instead of binging, try to calm yourself down. Ask yourself
"Do I really need to binge?"
The following tips may help you get the control
back over your impulsive eating behaviour.
When you feel like being at risk of losing control: Wait
ten minutes; count to 100 - waiting for a couple of minutes
can make the cravings go away.
Have a big glass of water.
Call a friend.
Visit a friend.
Ask a friend to come over.
Call an Eating Disorder Hotline.
Call your therapist.
Call someone from your support group.
Write your journal.
Write an e-mail to a friend.
Listen to music.
Listen to a comedy tape or video.
Dance to your favourite songs.
Watch a movie.
Read a book.
Take a nap.
Pray.
Exercise.
Meditate.
Go to a tanning salon.
Paint a picture.
Clean your room.
Take a relaxing bath.
Go for a walk (don't take money with you!)
Spend time with your pet.
Plant flowers or pull weeds in a garden.
Colour your hair.
Paint your nails.
Go to eating disorder support websites and chat online
with people who are going through the same as you are (like
MentorCONNECT
- a online wonderful pro-recovery community)
Plan regular activities for your most difficult time of
day.
Individuals with bulimia are very dissatisfied
with their bodies and have extreme concerns with their body weight and shape -
which are the key factors for them in determing how they feel about themselves.
Their self esteem is very low and directly related to the way their body looks
and how much they weigh.
Some sufferers with an eating disorder assume
there is something wrong with their bodies when they cannot fit into some "standard"
size and others will reject a pair of jeans simply because they won't wear a particular
size.
Bulimia can be treated and can be successfully overcome.
People with this eating disorder can get well, can learn to
eat normally again and can learn to respect and love themselves
for whom they are.
Bulimia involves the mind and the body, so psychological
and medical help (provided from such as health doctors, psychologists,
clinical social workers, dietitians) is beneficial and necessary
in most cases.
Hospitalization is rare with bulimics and is generally only
used for eating disorder victims whose weight is dangerously
low. It is very unlikely for sufferers from bulimia to be
able to successfully get out of the cycle without professional
help.
Quote from someone with
bulimia...
"Somehow I want my family to find out so I can get help.
I do need help... I throw up at least once a day. I know I need help but I don't
know where to go. I know I can't do it on my own."
The number of people with eating disorders is dramatically
rising. About ten to 15 percent of sufferers from bulimia
are men.
Several studies suggest that the most common eating disorder
is Binge Eating Disorder, followed by EDNOS (Eating Disorder
Not Otherwise Specified) and then Bulimia. Anorexia is, per
capita, the least common of the main group. The only reason
it has a higher profile than the others is due to media influences
and the fact that it is the most notable from a physical point
of view.
Eating disorders seriously affect the hormonal system and
therefore make it extremely difficult to both conceive and
carry a child to term. Women suffering from eating disorders
put their lives and the life their baby in danger and raise
the risk of miscarriage, prematurity, postnatal depression.
You should not attempt to get pregnant until you are well
on your way to recovery, or recovered. It is important for
all pregnant women to receive proper prenatal care and have
regular pre-natal visits. In addition, an enrollment in a
prenatal exercise class is a good idea.
For more detailed information on eating disorders and pregnancy - please
click here.
Eating-Disorder-Information.com is sponsored by "You
Are Not
Alone (Vol 1 + 2) - The Books of Companionship for
Women with Eating Disorders" - inspiring collections
of personal recovery stories, poems and artwork from
women who are either in strong recovery or fully recovered.
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Recovery really is possible - also for you!
You Are Not Alone, Vol 2 (plus FREE Companion
CD) - The Book of Companionship for Women with Eating
Disorders
Inspiring collection of personal recovery stories,
poems, artwork, and song lyrics by women who are either
in recovery or fully recovered from an eating disorder.
Foreword by Dr.Anita Johnston (author
of Eating in the Light of the Moon)
RECOVERY MUSIC Also included in the book is the You Are Not
Alone Companion CD filled with healing songs by
women who are either fully recovered or in strong recovery
from an eating disorder.
Profits
are donated to eating disorder help and support organizations
to help raise awareness and help others in their recovery.
You Are Not Alone
is a proud sponsor of the
Recovery Buddies Project, the Joy Project, and MentorCONNECT.
Not
Alone (Vol 1 + 2) - The Books of Companionship for
Women with Eating Disorders" - inspiring collections
of personal recovery stories, poems and artwork from
women who are either in strong recovery or fully recovered.