Bulimia: never ending cycle of binge eating and getting rid of calories with all costs

Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder that is characterized by binge eating. Following the binge eating are things such as vomiting, fasting, overuse of laxatives and over exercising. People who suffer from bulimia usually maintain a healthy weight; however, they are very unhappy with it. Often times, people who suffer from bulimia feel ashamed of their body and want to change it. The most common symptoms of this disorder include an inflamed and sore throat, acid reflux and worn tooth enamel.

Bulimia is a serious eating disorder and it could actually turn out to be life threatening if it is not dealt with.

A stated above, there are several things that follow binge eating; however, they can be placed into two categories. The first category is called purging bulimia, while the other is called non-purging bulimia. Purging is the attempt to get rid of extra calories, and so, purging includes things like self induced vomiting and the misuse of laxatives. Non-purging bulimia is categorized by attempts to prevent weight gain.

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This includes things like over exercising, fasting, and going on very strict and rigid diets. According to MayoClinic.com, people who suffer from Bulimia Nervosa are obsessed with their body weight. Because of this obsession, they tend to judge their selves in an extremely terrible way based off of self-perceived flaws.

There are many different things that can cause someone to become bulimic. According to WomensHealth.gov, dieting, stress and uncomfortable emotions are all things that contribute to the start of bulimia nervosa.

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Some other factors that could lead to the disorder include culture, families, life changes, personality traits and biology. Culture is a huge factor contributing to the rise in bulimia. In today’s society, we live by the European standard of beauty, in which beauty is characterized in large part by long legs and a thin or skinny frame. Women in today’s society feel the need to fit into this standard, and so, it is much easier for one to become bulimic. Families can also have a part in causing bulimia. For example, if you have a family who is very fixated on the way that they look, then maintaining a certain body weight and dieting become very important to you. This fixation makes it much easier to become bulimic. Life changes, especially traumatic events, have the power to make one susceptible to bulimia as well. For example, if you were raped or suffered from some other kind of violence, it would be much easier for you to become bulimic as the aftermath of the tragedy you experienced. Another example of this is starting a new sport. The stress that comes along with trying to get in shape and build muscle could also cause one to become bulimic. Lastly, personality traits and biology have a huge part in causing bulimia. If you are a person who naturally has the urge to fit into America’s standards of beauty or you do not like the way you appear, you could easily become bulimic Hormones and changes in the brain also play a role.

Contrary to what people may believe, bulimia affects everyone. Many people have the notion that African Americans and males are not affected by eating disorders, and a lot of people believe that eating disorders only affects young, upper class white women. It is a fact that most bulimics are women; however, all are not. An excerpt from WomensHealth.gov reads, “It is not known for sure whether African American, Latina, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian and Alaskan Native people develop eating disorder because of American culture values thin people. People with different cultural backgrounds may develop eating disorders because it’s hard to adapt to a new culture (a theory called “culture clash”). The stress of trying to live in two different cultures may cause some minorities to develop their eating disorders.” According to that paragraph, minorities could actually be more susceptible to picking up bulimia and other eating disorders because of the harsh and demanding standards of America.

Although bulimia is a disorder that has the potential to be life threatening, it is not a death sentence. One who has bulimia can get better and recover with the help of nutritionists and therapists. Two treatments that are often used to help bulimics recover include CBT and antidepressants. CBT is a form of psychotherapy in which the thinking, feeling and acting are analyzed. This technique has been proven to get rid of behaviors such as purging and binging if done properly. Antidepressants are medicines that are used for the treatment of mood disorders. The antidepressant used for treating bulimia is Prozac. Just as CBT, this drug gets rid of binging and purging, and it improves eating attitudes as well as minimizing the chance of relapse.

Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder that affects many people in the United States. Bulimia is a very serious disorder that is characterized by binging followed by acts to either get rid of calories or prevent weight gain. It affects people of all ethnicities and ages. Although it is very serious, it can be fixed. Bulimia Nervosa is something that everyone can overcome if it is treated properly.

Works cited

  1. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
  2. Mayo Clinic. (2021, February 27). Bulimia nervosa. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bulimia/symptoms-causes/syc-20353615
  3. National Eating Disorders Association. (n.d.). Bulimia nervosa. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/bulimia
  4. WomensHealth.gov. (2022, March 10). Bulimia nervosa. https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/mental-health-conditions/eating-disorders/bulimia-nervosa
  5. Lock, J., & Couturier, J. (2019). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for eating disorders. In R. A. Barkin & A. S. Geller (Eds.), Treating eating disorders in primary care settings: Beyond the toolkit (pp. 51-64). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18741-1_4
  6. Hay, P. (2013). A systematic review of evidence for psychological treatments in eating disorders: 2005-2012. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 46(5), 462-469. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22103
  7. Fairburn, C. G., Cooper, Z., & O'Connor, M. (2014). Eating disorder examination (16.0D). In Fairburn, C. G. (Ed.), Cognitive behavior therapy and eating disorders (pp. 265-308). Guilford Press.
  8. National Institute of Mental Health. (2021, March). Eating disorders. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders/index.shtml
  9. Arcelus, J., Mitchell, A. J., Wales, J., & Nielsen, S. (2011). Mortality rates in patients with anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders: A meta-analysis of 36 studies. Archives of General Psychiatry, 68(7), 724-731. https://doi.org/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.74
  10. Attia, E., & Walsh, B. T. (2009). Behavioral management for anorexia nervosa. New England Journal of Medicine, 360(5), 500-506. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcp0809459
Updated: Oct 11, 2024
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Bulimia: never ending cycle of binge eating and getting rid of calories with all costs. (2024, Feb 26). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/bulimia-never-ending-cycle-of-binge-eating-and-getting-rid-of-calories-with-all-costs-essay

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