Bulimia nervosa
Bulimia nervosa, or bulimia, is a type of
eating disorder. Someone with bulimia eats a lot of food in a short amount of time (bingeing) and then tries to get rid of the
calories by purging. Purging might be done in these ways:
- making oneself throw up
- taking laxatives (pills or liquids that increase how fast food moves through your body and leads to a bowel movement [BM])
A person with
bulimia may also use these ways to prevent
weight gain:
- exercising a lot (more than normal)
- restricting her eating or not eating at all (like going without food for a day)
- taking diuretics (pills that make you urinate [pee])
Bulimia is more than just a problem with food. It's a way of using food to feel in control of other feelings that may seem overwhelming. Purging and other behaviors to prevent weight gain are ways for people with bulimia to feel more in control of their lives and to ease
stress and anxiety. Unlike
anorexia, when people are severely underweight, people with bulimia may be underweight, overweight, or have a normal weight. This makes it harder to know if someone has this disease. However, someone with
bulimia may have these signs:
- thinks about food a lot
- binges (normally in secret)
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