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Welcome to Bulimia Nervosa Free Help and Advice
First recognised as an eating disorder in 1979, Bulimia Nervosa (generally referred to as simply Bulimia), is an eating disorder that can affect both men and women and sometimes even children. Statistically, women are 10 times more likely to suffer from Bulimia Nervosa than men, and the disorder typically begins when the sufferer is in their late teens, although it can theoretically occur at any time.
So what is Bulimia Nervosa, what are its causes and what can be done to help its sufferers?
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What is Bulimia Nervosa?
Bulimia Nervosa, often called simply Bulimia, is an eating disorder typified by bouts of binge eating followed by what can only be described as compulsive 'purging' behaviour during which the sufferer will invariably make themselves sick in order to purge themselves of their eating excess. The need to purge following a bout of binge eating is generally a result of feelings of guilt, shame or personal condemnation. Other methods of purging adopted by sufferers can take the form of taking laxatives in order to speed up the throughput of food, the use of enemas or diuretics, prolonged periods of exercise or starving themselves for a period of time.
What Causes Bulimia Nervosa?
Invariably, although not always, Bulimia Nervosa is brought on by the sufferers' overwhelming fear of putting on weight. It can also be caused by low self-esteem, depression, peer pressure and media pressure (young people aspiring to look like fashion models).
What are the Symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa?
Typically, the symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa are binge eating (bingeing) followed by a bout of purging (invariably making oneself sick or using laxatives) in order to rapidly remove the food from the system before it can be digested.
What Are the Affects of Bulimia Nervosa?
Sufferers of Bulimia Nervosa are likely to become obsessive about food and eating, suffer from depression and sleep poorly. They are also likely to feel tired and weak, find difficulty in eating and suffer from constipation, and in the case of children and younger sufferers, fail to grow to their full potential. In the case of women, they may have difficulty in becoming pregnant and suffer from brittle bones.
Other Eating Disorders
Other eating disorders include:
- Anexoria Nervosa
- Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
- Compulsive Overeating
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- Bulimarexia
- Orthorexia Nervosa
- Prada Willi Syndrome
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Help for Bulimia Nervosa Sufferers
The first step for a personal suffering from Bulimia Nervosa is to speak to their doctor about the condition. The NHS Direct website also has plenty of free help and advice.
