Bulimia – Signs and Causes
Bulimia, also called Bulimia Nervosa, is a
psychological eating disorder. Bulimia involves the process of
binge-eating, and induced purging afterwards. Teenagers that suffer
from Bulimia seem to eat more than others their age, but get little to
no nutritional value from the food they quickly get rid of. Often
Bulimia is the result of other medical conditions, such as low self
esteem, stress, anxiety, or depression.
Bulimics become caught in the
addictive and devastating binge-purge cycle.
For teenagers suffering from Bulimia, the binge is
seen as a reward and is a way to cope with daily stresses and
unpleasant feelings. Typically the binge eating occurs in secrecy,
unless the binging and purging is carried out with friends who are also
experimenting with binging and purging.
Binging involves high calorie foods that are sweet
or high in fat content – basically junk food. Some binges are planned
in advance, but more often they are impulsive. Triggers for binges
include problems with self image, prolonged dieting, interpersonal
stressors, and dissatisfaction with body type (Bulimia).
Not only does the teenager binge on huge quantities
of high-caloric food followed by purging, but quite often laxatives are
also used as a way to maintain or keep weight off. This cycle of
binging and purging can result in a dramatic weight fluctuation, which
can be very dangerous. Teenagers try to hide the signs of throwing up
by running the sink or tub, faucet while spending long periods of time
in the bathroom. Potential medical problems include: cardiac
arrhythmias, electrolyte imbalances, esophageal tears, and dental
problems. Prolonged purging presents a serious threat to the patient’s
physical health, resulting in hormonal imbalance, depletion of needed
minerals, dehydration, and damage to vital organs (Teenagers with
Eating Disorders).
Binge eating in Bulimia Nervosa may temporarily numb
the teen’s negative feelings, but this state is quickly followed by
feelings of failure. The Bulimic is often ashamed of their binging and
purging and views their behavior as a loss of control, which in turn
reinforces their low self esteem.
Teenagers suffering from Bulimia follow their
binge-eating behavior with compensatory behaviors in an attempt to
counteract the binge episodes. The act of purging may temporarily
reduce the feeling of fullness and also reduce the fear of weight gain.
Some teenagers have reported that they actually look forward to the
purging behavior, which causes a temporary feeling of release.
Symptoms that Bulimics exhibit include: hiding
foods; avoiding and arguing over certain foods they will or will not
eat; a recurrent and increasing pattern over time of emotionality,
mental dullness, physical weakness, low frustration; and a pattern of
leaving or asking to leave the group (usually within twenty to thirty
minutes) with some excuse in order to purge their meal. They often make
comments about being fat, unattractive, and for the need to lose more
weight, despite evidence to the contrary.
Bulimics exhibit obsessive thinking that borders on
a fixation; a fixation that is contradictory, illogical, and irrational
with regard to food choice, weight loss, and purging. At times they
will refuse to eat, and then later offer to eat in order to negotiate
permission to continue partial purging and starvation (Answers to
Questions about Teenage Bulimia and Anorexia).
Other behaviors that teenagers with Bulimia use in
an attempt to prevent weight gain include: using enemas, diuretics,
diet pills, fasts, insulin abuse, laxatives, chew-spitting, and
excessive exercise. Bulimics are obsessively involved with their weight
and body size. The teen will often impulsively check their body size
weight. This includes frequent weighing, measuring, and looking at
themselves in the mirror. They don’t see the emaciated person looking
back at them; they see a fat person that needs to lose a lot of weight.
The Bulimic feels that their individual self worth is directly tied to
their body shape and weight (Bulimia).
Treatment can save the life of a teenager with an
eating disorder. Teachers, relatives, friends, and physicians will
often play an important role in helping the afflicted person start and
stay with a treatment program. Caring, encouragement, and persistence,
as well as up to date information about Bulimia and its dangers, is
needed to convince the teen that they need help.
Teenagers that suffer from Bulimia must regain a
sense of control and self esteem in their life that is independent of
their physical appearance. Often a comprehensive treatment plan is
needed, involving a variety of experts in the medical field as well as
an internist, a nutritionist, a psychotherapist, and a
psychopharmacologist – a person who is knowledgeable regarding
psychoactive medications that are often useful in treating eating
disorders.
Use of individual psychotherapy and
cognitive-behavioral therapy, which teaches patients how to change
abnormal thought processes, is often the most productive form of
treatment. Cognitive-behavior therapists focus on changing eating
behaviors by using a reward system or model behavior. These therapists
also help the teenager work to change the distorted and rigid thinking
patterns associated with Bulimia (Answers to Questions about Teenage
Bulimia and Anorexia).
Works Cited
“Answers to Questions about Teenage Bulimia and Anorexia” Bulimic Behaviors. 2001.
17 Mar. 2005 http://www.crisiscounseling.org/Handouts/BulimiaAnorexia.htm
“Bulimia”
Bulimia Nervosa better known as Bulimia. 2004. 17 Mar. 2005
http://www.raderprograms.com/bulimia.htm
“Teenagers with Eating Disorders” AACAP-Facts for Families #2. Jul. 2004. 17 Mar.
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By:Kelsea Posted: Oct 02 2007 02:59:25 PM