Bulimia

Bulimia is a type of eating disorder. People with bulimia will eat a larger amount of food than most people would in a similar situation, in a short time (binge). Then they do something to prevent weight gain. They may vomit or use medicines like laxatives to get rid of food (purge). Or they may exercise too much or go without food (fast). This becomes a cycle.

People who have bulimia judge themselves harshly on their body weight and shape. During a binge, they feel out of control and feel unable to stop eating. After binge eating, they feel very afraid of gaining weight. This fear causes them to do things like purge, exercise too much, or fast in hopes of "undoing" any possible weight gain from the binge.

Without treatment, bulimia can lead to serious, long-term health problems.

People with bulimia:

• Binge eat on a regular basis. They eat larger amounts of food than most people would in a similar situation, in a short period of time (2 hours or less). During a binge, they feel out of control and feel unable to stop eating.
• Do something to avoid weight gain. They may make themselves vomit or misuse laxatives, enemas, water pills (diuretics), or other medicines to get rid of food (purge). Or they may exercise very hard or for a long time or go without food (fast).
• Base how they feel about themselves on how much they weigh and how they look.

Any one of these can be a sign of an eating disorder that needs treatment.

There is no single test that can diagnose bulimia. But this condition may have a visible effect on your health and eating habits.

Your doctor will ask you questions about your eating habits. This is to see if you have the main symptoms of bulimia. If your doctor thinks that you may have bulimia, they will check you for problems caused by this condition, such as poor nutrition or electrolyte imbalances.

The doctor will do a physical exam. They may ask questions about your medical history, including your physical and emotional health. Often other mental health conditions occur along with bulimia. These may include depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

You may have blood tests or X-rays to check for signs of poor nutrition.

Bulimia can be treated with counseling and sometimes medicines. If a person has another health condition along with bulimia, more treatment may be needed. (For example, with depression an antidepressant may be used.) And it may take longer to get better.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT) are types of counseling used to treat bulimia. In CBT, you learn how to change negative thoughts that you may have about food, your weight, and your body. You learn to change negative beliefs about yourself. In IPT, you learn how relationships can affect the binge-eating cycle.

These are long-term treatments. It may take weeks or months before you notice changes. You may need treatment with counseling and maybe medicines for more than a year. But getting treatment early can prevent serious health problems. And learning how to manage stress while you recover can make recovery easier.