The Low Down on Bulimia

Among stress, hormones and other pressures that teens deal with during their high school years, some are faced with another type of problem all together: eating disorders. Unfortunately, students aren’t known to have them until they’ve become severe because these disorders are difficult to diagnose before these disorders develop and many teens suffer until then. There is no known way to prevent them, especially since, in the case of bulimia nervosa, much of the symptoms happen behind closed restroom doors.
Bulimia Nervosa, also known as “bulimia,” is a neurological disorder that is characterized by excessive eating or “binging” followed by a “purging” of the food from the stomach, commonly by method of vomiting.
Like anorexia, bulimia prevents the body from receiving proper nutrition, according to the Mental Health section of About.com. Anorexics restrain themselves to eat very little. However, bulimics satisfy their feelings of hunger with binge eating which is immediately purged before the body has time to digest it.
Bulimia can result in many life-threatening conditions such as ulcers, a ruptured stomach, tooth decay, abdominal pain and feelings of weakness, dizziness, dehydration and semi-starvation.
The danger of starvation, an effect which both bulimia and anorexia share, is that the body does not receive a steady supply of food as a source of energy, it turns to fat reserves for energy. Once the fat reserves run out, the body begins to use its own tissue (e.g. muscles and organs). Organs can absorb a lot of damage if the disorder has gone on long enough, and, eventually, the damage can be fatal.
Starvation is also a contributing factor to which bulimic habits such as withholding from “forbidden food,” according to Helpguide.org, which would cause one’s desire for food until the person caves into temptation. Temptation is immediately followed by feelings of guilt which cause binging and provokes purging.
The effects seem so horrific that one questions how a teen might develop bulimia; it is generally assumed by society that the binging and purging is a voluntarily formed habit because many bulimics often develop their condition from poor self-image as a result from the pressures of life. Many are initially average weight but they binge and purge in order to lose weight. This is a misconception because bulimia can cause one to actually gain weight and experience bloating and depression.

However, some cases may have been caused by a genetic inclination to the disorder. Scientists have noticed that people with relatives who are bulimic maybe be inclined to become bulimic themselves, according to MayoClinic.com.

Although bulimics tend to be girls, it should be noted that both guys and girls could develop the disorders and those who overcame the disorder in their adolescent years can experience relapses in adulthood.

The hardships of living with bulimia seem Bulimia is difficult to cure but not impossible. Because it is a neurological disorder, it cannot be treated with medicines, but anti-depressants can be used to combat the depression that influences many bulimics. In addition, the patient can receive cognitive and nutritional therapy along with help from support groups.

By: Staff Writer Katherine Ong