Bulimia nervosa eating disorders are dangerous and often difficult to detect, though recovery is possible with therapy.

Bulimia nervosa is often a hidden disease in society. As many bulimics do not lose a lot of weight rapidly, they are often misdiagnosed or unrecognized in everyday society. However, bulimia is an eating disorder which is not only deadly, but also one that requires medical attention quickly before it spins out of control.

Why isn’t Bulimia Recognized?

Bulimia nervosa has not been studied in the same way anorexia has. In fact, it has only been considered an illness since 1979 and was then bulimia was thought to be extremely rare.

Bulimia is one of the most dangerous of all the eating disorders as it seems to be a progressive disorder. In fact, many bulimics have been anorexic and have progressed to bulimia. Bulimics are often confused about how they feel and often do not know when they are hungry or full. This confusion makes it difficult for them to respond appropriately with their eating behavior.

What are the Signs of Bulimia?

The bulimic will use binging and vomiting and/or laxatives to keep their weight down. The estimates of those who suffer from bulimia are also difficult to measure, but it is estimated to affect females and males between the ages of 15 and 45. As bulimia is not immediately recognized in the appearance, there is a high likelihood of underreporting.

• Bingeing – an urgent and compelling need to eat very large quantities of food in a short period of time. Some binges may be compulsive, while others may be planned for days or weeks ahead of time. At the end of a binge, the binger can then feel overstuffed and over-full, leading to feelings of guilt for eating so much food. This feeling is then remedied with purging or the use of laxatives. In some cases, bingers have been known to use exercise to stop the feelings of fullness.
• Purging – the most common method to force food out of the system is self-induced vomiting where sufferers put their fingers down their throats to make themselves sick. This action causes tooth decay, low blood pressure, and swollen cheek glands. Some bulimics can vomit at will without even stimulating the vomiting reflex.
• Laxatives – many bulimics can take more than 100 laxatives at a time, overdosing. Laxative abuse is dangerous as it leads to electrolyte imbalances which can result in hospitalization or death.

Treating Bulimia

Bulimics require mental health therapy in order to relearn a healthy relationship with food. In doing so, they can begin to see food as fuel which should be kept in the body for energy. Bulimics often understand their behaviors are not normal, so they may be more likely to seek advice from medical professionals.