People with bulimia usually appear to be of average body weight and recognize that their behaviors are unusual. Bulimia is frequently associated with symptoms of depression and changes in social adjustment, and people with bulimia may attach self-esteem to body image and feel out of control during binge-eating episodes.Bulimia is a serious condition that can have severe complications if left untreated. With treatment, however, you can take back control of your body image and eating habits and manage the risks of living with bulimia.

What’s the Difference Between Anorexia and Bulimia?

The principal difference between anorexia and bulimia is that while a person with anorexia takes extreme measures to lose weight or avoid gaining weight, a person with bulimia employs strategies to consistently purge food from their body after an episode of binge eating by taking laxatives or making themselves throw up. People with anorexia and people with bulimia both tend to fixate on their body weight and shape and have trouble accurately assessing their body image. 

Bulimia Signs and Symptoms 

Some of the warning signs of bulimia include:

• Evidence of binge eating: Disappearance of large amounts of food in short periods of time, finding wrappers and containers.
• Evidence of purging behaviors: Frequent trips to the bathroom after meals, signs and/or smells of vomiting, presence of laxatives or diuretics packages.
• Excessive, rigid exercise regimen despite weather, fatigue, illness, or injury; compulsive need to “burn off” calories
• Unusual swelling of the cheeks or jaw area.
• Calluses on the back of the hands and knuckles from self-induced vomiting.
• Discoloration or staining of the teeth.
• Creation of lifestyle schedules to make time for binge-and-purge sessions.
• Withdrawal from usual friends and activities.
• Behaviors and attitudes indicating that weight loss, dieting, and control of food are becoming primary concerns.

Click here to read more about other symptoms of bulimia.

Some of the health consequences include:

• Electrolyte imbalances (caused by dehydration from purging) can lead to irregular heartbeats and heart failure
• InflammationRupture of the esophagus from frequent vomiting
• Tooth decay and staining from stomach acids released during vomiting
• Chronic irregular bowel movements and constipation from laxative abuse
• Gastric rupture is an uncommon but possible side effect of binge eating

Helping Someone with Bulimia

If you have a friend or family member who is struggling with bulimia, there are a few things you can do to support them:

• Set aside a time for a private meeting with your friend to discuss your concerns openly and honestly in a caring, supportive way.
• Ask your friend to explore these concerns with a counselor, doctor, nutritionist, or other health professional.
• Avoid placing shame, blame, or guilt on your friend regarding their actions or attitudes, and avoid giving simple solutions.
• Remind your friend that you care and want your friend to be healthy and happy and express your continued support.

Bulimia Treatment 

The right approach for bulimia treatment typically depends on the severity of your condition as well as your age, overall health, medical history, and other factors. In more severe cases, urgent medical care is needed to address physical health complications. 

Nutrition counseling from a registered dietitian who specializes in eating disorders is a critical part of recovering and managing your bulimia. The specialized bulimia treatment team at Nourish will work with you to understand the biological, psychological, and social contributors to your eating disorder. Your treatment team will seek to understand the psychological issues that contribute to your eating disorder and help identify and treat root causes.

At Nourish, we have a team of bulimia dietitians who specialize in working with patients at all stages of recovery. We offer nutrition counseling over telehealth and accept insurance in order to make accessing care as easy and affordable as possible.