Understanding Bulimia Nervosa: 6 important warning signs
What is Bulimia Nervosa?
Eating disorders do not discriminate based on age, gender, body size, ethnicity, socioeconomic status. It is not uncommon that an eating disorder may exist for years before an individual may recognize it’s impact on their life. Bulimia Nervosa has been shown to impact millions of people – estimates show a lifetime prevalence of 1.5% among American females and 0.5% among American males. Like other eating disorders Bulimia Nervosa is a serious condition that can cause significant physical and mental complications. Eating disorders thrive in isolation and Bulimia is no exception. It can be helpful to know some of the warning signs of bulimia to intervene early.
“Bulimia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of bingeing and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating”
National Eating Disorders Association
It is a mental illness characterized in the DSM-5 as patterns of bingeing and purging. Bingeing means consuming a large amount of food in a short amount of time. For an individual this may look like eating a larger quantity than you may typically eat to the point of feeling uncomfortable or overly full. It also may bring a sense of feeling a lack of control or chaos around food. The key characteristic of Bulimia Nervosa is that bingeing behaviors are followed by compensatory behaviors, meaning there is an urge to “get rid of” the food via purging. This could look like vomiting, exercise, misuse of laxative or diuretics.
Bulimia Nervosa warning signs
- Obsessive behavior and thoughts around food
- The binge/purge cycle often leaves individuals feeling out of control around food. In effort to gain a sense of control, you may notice they are following a new diet, cutting out certain foods, or going long periods of time without eating. This can lead to malnutrition and causing more obsession and thoughts about food and eating.
- Falling into a restrict/binge/purge cycle:
- Sudden/Extreme Weight fluctuations
- Not all eating disorders present in the same way and weight isn’t the best indication of an eating disorder. If you do notice yourself or a loved one experiencing sudden weight fluctuations, however, this may be a sign that there is something going on.
- Emotional and physical changes
- Increased irritability or mood swings can be caused by chaotic eating or under-eating. Individuals likely have a lot of shame associated with their behaviors and may be more withdrawn from social situations. Some physical indications are poor dentition and scarred fingers or knuckles. This can be a sign of purging via self-induced vomiting.
- Unusual behaviors around food or meal times
- Leaving to go to the bathroom or to the shower shortly after eating may be a warning sign of Bulimia. Additionally, finding stashed food or wrappers in unusual places can be an indication of bingeing behaviors.
- Body dissatisfaction
- Individuals suffering from bulimia oftentimes have high levels of body dissatisfaction. You may notice body checking, intense fear of weight gain, being highly critical and negative towards their body size or shape, or wearing baggy clothes to hide their body.
Getting support
Recovery from an eating disorder is not meant to be done alone. If you are noticing any of these behaviors in yourself or in a loved one, even on an infrequent basis, I would strongly urge you to seek support. Navigating help for an eating disorder for yourself or a loved one can be scary. You may feel like you don’t know what to do or say next, and that is okay.
The idea of strong willpower as a key to overcoming the binge-purge cycle is a lie. Read more about the psychology behind the binge-purge cycle and why it takes more than willpower.
A good first step is developing a treatment team. This typically involves a therapist, a registered dietitian and a physician. All of these clinicians will help you learn about the eating disorder and guide next steps. Healing from an eating disorder is hard. Sometimes things may seem like they are getting worse, before they get better. Don’t give up – You deserve to heal and form a better relationship with food and body.
