What is it

Bulimia nervosa is a disorder of eating behavior that is characterized by people who suffer from a
recurrent binge eating large amounts of food in a short space of time, that is, eat the amount of
food that most of people at the same time.

The bulimics are unable to master the impulses that have a corner and have the feeling that they
can not stop eating. However, the feeling of guilt and shame after ingesting many foods leads to a
purge (self-induced vomiting or use of laxatives or diuretics or both), rigorous or excessive regimes
to counteract the effects of the abundant meals and avoid weight gain.

These people have about 15 episodes of bingeing and vomiting per week and, in general, their
weight is normal, so it is difficult to detect the disease. In a single binge you can get to consume
10,000 to 40,000 calories.

Causes

In the origin of this disease, biological, psychological and social factors intervene that distort the
vision that the patient has of himself and respond to a great fear of fattening.

The patient with bulimia is always very worried about his weight, even when it is normal, but he
can not repress his desire to eat. In addition, bulimics are not well with themselves. In general,
bulimia is manifested by having made numerous harmful diets without medical control. The
limitation of implicit foods by the patient can lead to a state of intense anxiety and the
pathological need to eat large amounts of food.

So far, the biological consequence was the consequence and development of the disease and the
triggers related to the social environment, the diets and the fear of ridicule over the physical.
Many of the factors coincide with anorexia, such as affective disorders in the family, drug abuse,
obesity, diabetes mellitus, specific personality traits and distorted ideas of the body.

Finally, sociocultural factors, such as the ideals of thinness that are imposed by the media, and
fashions make the company venture and can not achieve frustration. This increases in adolescent
age.

It is important to clarify that eating disorders do not usually appear when one of these factors
manifests, but that it is the confluence of several that can be carried out in view of bulimia.
Evaluate your symptoms

symptom

In general, people who suffer from bulimia have been obese or have made numerous diets
without medical control. Bulimics try to hide vomiting and purges, so the disease often goes
unnoticed for a long time. The typical signs of a bulimia picture are the following:

Binge eating or over food intake: The patient has a large amount of food in a very short space of
time and has no control over the intake: he has an anxiety that can not stop.

The bulimics do not have any pleasure when eating or have preferences regarding the type of
food, they only seek to satisfy themselves. They try to avoid places where there is food and try to
eat alone, so their behavior is serious, they tend to isolate themselves and food is their only topic
of conversation. In addition, the lack of control over food produces great feelings of guilt and
shame.

Use of laxatives: To prevent weight gain and compensate binge eating or overeating, the use of
provocateurs, use laxatives, diuretics, drugs, or resort to other means that control it, such as the
abusive practice of sports activities.

Repetition: The cycles of bingeing and vomiting are manifested at least twice a week.

Low self-esteem

In addition to the general manifestations can be distinguished:

Psychological alterations

Patients with bulimia nervosa are characterized by great impulsivity and low self-control. This can
cause that, in addition to binges, bulimics tend to get into dangerous situations or get into
discussions easily, having great mood swings.

In addition, as the self-esteem is very low, it is common that symptoms of depression and anxiety
appear and that they abuse alcohol and drugs. Bulimics can also be kleptomaniacs and gamblers.
Physical symptoms

As for the physical signs that show the disease are weakness, headaches; swelling of the face due
to increased salivary glands, especially paralysis, problems with the teeth, dizziness, hair loss,
menstrual irregularities, and sudden increases and reductions in weight, although they generally
do not suffer