Bulimic neurosis, often referred to simply as bulimia nervosa, is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder. People suffering from this disease periodically overeat, leaning on edibles with excessive zeal, and then "purify themselves", trying to get rid of excess calories using unhealthy methods. Most often, there are repeated attempts to induce artificial vomiting and excessive enthusiasm for heavy physical exercises. Sometimes patients are “cleaned” even after minor snacks or normal servings of food.
Thus, cases of bulimia can be classified into two types:
- bulimia with "cleansing", which implies forced induction of vomiting or abuse of laxatives, diuretic drugs or enemas after an attack of gluttony;
- bulimic neurosis without "cleansing" - in cases where a person is trying to get rid of calories and prevent weight gain through fasting, strict diets or overly heavy physical exertion.
However, it should be borne in mind that these two types of disorders are often combined in eating behavior, and therefore getting rid of excess calories by any of the above methods can be called "cleansing".
If you suffer from this disease, most likely, you are overly concerned about your weight and body parameters. Perhaps you are strictly judging yourself for imaginary flaws in appearance. Since bulimia is primarily associated with self-esteem and only after that with food, such a disorder is very difficult to overcome. However, effective treatment, as a rule, allows you to feel much better, acquire healthy eating habits and eliminate serious complications.
Symptoms
If the patient has bulimic neurosis, the symptoms of the disorder can be expressed as follows:
- constant reflection on weight and appearance;
- endless fear of getting fat;
- a feeling of uncontrolled eating behavior;
- overeating until discomfort or pain;
- eating significantly more food during an attack of hunger than during normal times;
- violent vomiting or excessive physical activity to prevent weight gain after eating;
- abuse of laxatives, diuretic drugs, or enemas after meals;
- strict calculation of calories or refusal of certain foods between attacks of hunger;
- excessive use of dietary supplements or herbal supplements intended for weight loss.
Causes
The exact causes of the development of this disease are still being investigated by scientists. Among the factors potentially contributing to the occurrence of eating disorders are biological features, emotional well-being, social criteria, and other circumstances.
Risk factors
An excessively frequent and persistent “hungry” signal entering the brain indicates a person’s predisposition to eating disorder. The following factors contribute to the development of the disorder:
- Belonging to the female sex. Most often, bulimia is diagnosed in girls and women.
- Age. Usually, the pathology is manifested in girls 17-25 years old.
- Biology. If the patient’s immediate family members (brothers, sisters, parents or children) are prone to eating disorders, this disorder may also occur over time. Scientists do not deny the possibility of a genetic predisposition to bulimia. In addition, a deficiency of serotonin in the brain can play a significant role. Being overweight in a child or adolescent increases the risk of pathology in the future.
- Psychological and emotional problems. Mental instability, including anxiety disorder and low self-esteem, contributes to an increase in the normal “hungry” signal. A person begins to overeat due to stress, a bad opinion of himself, the presence of food in the refrigerator, suffering from diets and just boredom. In some cases, psychological trauma and severe environmental pollution exacerbate the situation.
- The pressure from the media. On television and online channels, in fashion magazines, people constantly see a lot of skinny models and actors. The abundance of ideal figures in show business seems to equate harmony with success and popularity. However, it is still unknown whether social values are reflected in the media or, on the contrary, it is the media that direct public opinion.
- Stress associated with work. Uncontrolled appetite is very often observed in professional athletes, actors, dancers and models. Trainers and relatives often inadvertently increase the risk of developing neurosis in their wards, inspiring young athletes to lose weight, maintain their low weight and reduce food servings in order to improve the quality of exercise.
Treatment
Bulimic neurosis usually requires a combination of several types of treatment; the most effective is the combination of psychotherapy with the use of antidepressants.
Most often, doctors practice a team approach, when not only a specialist, but also family members of the patient, as well as a therapist or other attending physician participate in therapy.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy, or psychological counseling, is a discussion of the disorder and related problems with a professional doctor. According to research, the following types of psychological counseling are characterized by proven effectiveness:
- cognitive behavioral therapy, allowing the patient to independently identify unhealthy, negative beliefs and behaviors and replace them with more favorable opinions and habits;
- family therapy aimed at targeted intervention of parents in the unhealthy eating behavior of a teenage child;
- interpersonal psychotherapy that analyzes difficulties in close relationships and allows you to improve communication skills and problem solving.
Medicines
Antidepressants can reduce the intensity of the symptoms of a pathology such as bulimic neurosis. Treatment is most often carried out in the form of courses of the drug "Prozac", which is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).
How to cope with the disease yourself
- Always remind yourself of how much weight is considered normal for your body.
- Resist the urge to go on a diet or skip meals, as this can provoke overeating.
- Develop a plan to deal with emotional pressure. Eliminate or neutralize sources of stress.
- Find positive role models to help you increase your self-esteem.
- Take an interesting hobby that can distract you from thinking about overeating and "cleansing."
Purposeful work on oneself is the best cure for bulimia, which helps to moderate wolf hunger and prevent the need to burn extra calories.