What kind of bulimia disease: symptoms, causes, treatment and prevention

According to medical statistics, bulimia is most often diagnosed in women in the age category up to thirty-five years. It also occurs in the strong half of humanity. Eating disorders in men are more difficult and more difficult to treat. An individual with this pathology is constantly haunted by such obsessions as losing weight and eating. What kind of bulimia disease and how to cope with it, we will consider in this article.

Causes

Often, the starting link is a children's psychological trauma (lack of nutrition, as well as attention from parents), which provokes a malfunction of the food center located in the brain.

In adolescence, a bad relationship with peers can contribute to the onset of an ailment. In addition, practicing doctors note that the risk of developing the disease increases when children are encouraged to eat for good academic performance. In this case, the child has an incorrect idea about the source of positive emotions.

Other causes of bulimia include:

• striving for the perfect appearance of the model;
• genetic predisposition;
• stressful situations;
• low self-esteem due to far-fetched flaws in appearance;
• constant anxiety;
• nutritional deficiencies caused by strict diets;
• and others.

Pathology Features

Bulimik is in a vicious circle, that is, constantly exposed to stress. From time to time, a breakdown occurs, that is, there is a need to absorb a huge amount of food. During this period, the patient experiences true pleasure (euphoria), which is replaced by a feeling of guilt. The stressful state reappears, the individual ceases to eat. People with bulimia disease experience a sense of shame and hide abundant food intake from others, as well as their subsequent release from it by inducing vomiting. Often bulimia is accompanied by severe depression, alcoholism, and sexual disorders. According to statistics, approximately fifty percent of patients recover completely, but relapses are still possible. In addition to the correct treatment tactics, the psychological attitude is very important, and the desire of the person himself will get rid of this problem.

Signs of Bulimia

The disease can be suspected by the following symptoms - this:

• An uncontrolled craving for food, as a result of which the individual consumes a large amount in a short period of time.
• The adoption of certain measures to prevent obesity, according to bulimik.
• Taking laxatives, cleansing enemas, inducing vomiting, body weight fluctuations, exhausting exercises.
• Frequent talk about overweight and new diets, proper nutrition.
• Fast weight gain and in a short time its reduction using radical methods.
• Depression.
• Fast fatiguability.
• Insomnia at night and daytime sleepiness.
• Diseases of the oral cavity caused by inflammatory processes. As a result of frequent vomiting, hydrochloric acid corrodes the oral mucosa.
• Frequent heartburn.
• Regular pharyngitis, tonsillitis.
• Finger scratches.
• Bursting vessels in the eyeballs.
• Violation of bowel movements.
• Failure of the menstrual cycle, liver and kidney functions, the work of the cardiovascular system.
• Cramps.
• Unsatisfactory condition of hair and nails.
• The appearance of obsessive thoughts that interfere with focusing on work or study, as well as leading a full life.
• The use of a large amount of high-calorie foods, as a result, cramping and pain in the intestine.
• The appearance of guilt, remorse. The individual tries to get rid of excess calories and causes vomiting.

In the early stages of the disease, disruptions are rare and are mainly triggered by stressful situations. At later - they happen several times a day.

Some facts about bulimia

Kinorexia, or bulimia nervosa, what is this disease? This is a condition in which control over the amount of food consumed is lost, but at the same time there is a desire to maintain the existing weight. In other words, it is an eating disorder that is affected by:

1. Public pressure - according to experts, the desire of young girls to be like models from the covers of fashion magazines provokes them to thoughtless actions, that is, there is a connection between an eating disorder and glossy beauty standards.
2. An obsession - bulimics constantly have a desire to eat more and immediately get rid of food or have an ideal figure. Often, such patients secretly consume alcohol-containing drinks and feel guilty about this. The surest sign of this pathology is the obsession in aspirations, which helps doctors identify it.
3. Mental disorder - due to the inability to control behavior, bulimia makes you feel ashamed, which translates into depression. In other words, this disease is a fairly serious mental disorder.
4. Genetic predisposition - unequivocally this fact is not confirmed. However, there is an opinion that heredity is one of the causes of bulimia.

Diagnosis of the disease

An anamnesis is collected to establish the diagnosis. A psychotherapist or psychiatrist conducts a conversation with the patient, as well as with his relatives. In some cases, psychodiagnostic specific tests are used. Differential diagnostics are also carried out. Bulimia, what is this disease, the symptoms of which result in the following picture:

• Repeated cases of overeating for three to four months.
• Constantly searching for new diets to lose weight.
• Thoughts on food that haunt constantly.
• Frequent artificial induction of vomiting.
• Pretty low self-esteem.

The doctor pays special attention to the above symptoms when conducting an examination. Uncontrolled consumption of large amounts of food, an example of such an absorption is presented in the photo, this is bulimia disease. What is hidden behind such a state?

The individual, eating a huge amount of food very quickly, does not enjoy the meal, and does not feel full. He prefers to do it alone. After a meal, he begins to suffer from a sense of shame. Features of the ailment are that seizures or in another way they are called disruptions - this is a specific reaction to different emotions, for example, stress, sadness. Overeating in such patients is not considered a spontaneous reaction, but rather, it is a planned action. Bulimics compensate for their overeating in the following ways:

• taking laxatives;
• grueling workouts;
• artificially induced vomiting.

If periodic overeating, recurrent compensatory behavior and neurotic experiences are confirmed, then the physician makes a diagnosis of bulimia.

Negative consequences

What kind of bulimia disease, the complications of which are very serious, since with this ailment the normal metabolism fails and huge damage is caused to the body, which provokes:

• gastrointestinal diseases;
• irregular periods;
• anemia
• fainting
• severe dryness of the skin;
• renal failure;
• dehydration;
• edema of the submandibular salivary glands;
• esophageal rupture;
• damage to tooth enamel;
• ulcerative lesions of the tongue;
• severe depression;
• heart rhythm failure;
• high risk of osteoporosis;
• hypokalemia;
• hypotension;
• infertility;
• hemorrhoids;
• obesity;
• cancer of the esophagus and larynx;
• suicide attempts.

Thus, an eating disorder is fraught with dangerous complications. In episodes of bulimia during the period of gestation, there is a risk of congenital malformations of the fetus, diabetes mellitus, miscarriage or the birth of a dead baby. Bulimics, hiding their illness, move away from relatives and friends, thereby exacerbating their condition.

Recommendations

Before proceeding with the independent treatment of bulimia, the cause of its occurrence should be eliminated. If it lies in the desire to lose weight, then be sure to review the diet. It is important to remember that refusing food cannot solve this problem; an integrated approach is needed. For a successful cure at home, you need to control your appetite, and the following tips will help in this:

1. If an attack occurs, drink a glass of water, this will dull the feeling of hunger, and then, something is allowed to eat.
2. The use of a decoction of peppermint before meals (three times a day, one hundred milliliters).
3. Twenty milliliters of infusion of parsley with chamomile drink before bedtime.
4. Reception of fifty milliliters of decoction of flaxseed and wormwood thirty minutes before eating will dull the feeling of hunger.

Decoctions and infusions are prepared in the following proportion: 20 grams of boiling water are taken 20 grams of medicinal plant material.

In cases where bulimia is caused by a mental disorder, another treatment is indicated, for example, meditation.

If the disease is caused by dependence on food, then the individual should show endurance in order to adhere strictly to the regime of the day and diet. Eat small meals.

In addition, we must learn to relax, regularly give the body physical activity. It is advisable to use different methods and believe in success, only in this case you can completely recover.

Bulimia - what is this disease and how to treat it?

Translated from the Greek language, the name of this pathology is translated as "bull hunger." It belongs to the group of eating disorders and belongs to mental illness. It is characterized by frequent bouts of profuse overeating and further, the violent withdrawal of what was eaten.

Doctors with specialization in psychiatry, as well as psychotherapists, are involved in the treatment. The treatment is carried out both in inpatient and outpatient settings. For example, if the cause of bulimia is severe depression with thoughts of suicide or severe exhaustion and dehydration, then a round-the-clock monitoring of the patient in the hospital is required. Women awaiting the appearance of the baby should receive therapy in the hospital, as there is a high risk to the baby's life.

Good results are achieved with an integrated approach, using pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. For each patient, treatment is selected individually. If there are complications in the patient, specialists in the field of cardiology, gastroenterology, dentistry and others come to the rescue. What is bulimia disease and how to deal with it? The most effective methods of treatment are recognized as psychotherapy:

1. Interpersonal - aimed at identifying and resolving the problems that caused the disease. Classes are held both in groups and individually.
2. Behavioral - a specialist helps to master the methods of coping with stress, fixing the right eating habits. With the help of special techniques, an individual reduces anxiety regarding their own weight, and motivation for proper nutrition appears.

In addition, doctors recommend taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. According to the mechanism of action, they are similar to antidepressants, i.e., reduce depression and anxiety. They also have a mild anorexigenic effect, reducing appetite and the need for high-calorie foods. As a result of taking these medications, the frequency of overeating, and accordingly vomiting, is reduced.

Alternative treatments

How to get rid of bulimia using alternative medicine methods?

One of the oldest and most popular ways to restore health is bioenergy therapy. Many illnesses in an individual begin with thoughts about them, and in bulimia, a person is constantly worried about increased appetite, and he is also not satisfied with body parameters. With the help of bioenergy, the body's defenses are activated and the energy source of the problem is eliminated. This method is used when the classic version fails to defeat the ailment.

Acupuncture is considered a new direction and is used as an addition to traditional treatment. As a result of acupuncture sessions, stress disappears, metabolism is restored, appetite returns to normal.

Feelings of guilt and shame in bulimia: how to deal with them?

These feelings begin to bother the individual after the "feast of the stomach" was arranged. How to get rid of bulimia? First you need to find out the reason, the result of which was a psycho-emotional disorder that led to uncontrolled overeating. The most common provocative factors recognized:

1. Loneliness - a void in personal life, that is, the absence of a loved one or loved one, is filled with food.
2. Complexes - to cope with uncertainty and anxiety, the individual begins to absorb food in large volumes, which helps to be forgotten for a short period.
3. Depression, stress - have a negative impact on the emotional state, and to drown out the pain, many choose the easiest way - it is to "seize" them.

After finding out the cause of bulimia, in the reviews of those who managed to cope with this problem, there are the following tips and recommendations:

• Understand yourself - understand what is bothering, bothering.
• Forget about diets.
• To communicate with people.
• There is only in society.
• Walk more often.
• Laugh more.
• Learn to enjoy life.
• Try to understand that food is a charge of energy and pleasure, and not a reason to drown out melancholy, pain, resentment.
• Consult a therapist who is familiar with this problem.
• Allow yourself to make mistakes and not blame them.
• Learning to enjoy inedible things, such as the smell of flowers.
• Take a look at overeating with humor.

Only by learning to control eating behavior, the individual begins to enjoy, a new world will open for him - this is the path to a diverse and fulfilling life.

Preventive actions

What is bulimia disease? Her insidiousness is that the symptoms of the disease return. Unfortunately, only one out of ten individuals seeks help from doctors, recognizing that he has an eating disorder. In order to cope with this problem, the help of loved ones is needed. To maintain a normal mental state, it is recommended:

• Moderate physical activity. Together with a medical professional, a set of exercises is selected.
• Lessons in dancing, yoga, swimming.
• Avoid stressful situations.
• Use meditation techniques.
• Find a hobby or favorite activity.

The main thing is the correct attitude to food, which is laid in the family. The habit of healthy eating is formed from childhood. Do not use food as a reward.

Conclusion

After reading the article, you now know what bulimia disease is. Treatment is, of course, a long and complex process that requires a lot of patience and effort from both the bulimik and his relatives. According to doctors, his success is directly proportional to the efforts spent and the personal desire of the individual. Timely seeking help is a chance of a quick return to normal.