Week Five: Bulimia Nervosa

This week I did some research on Bulimia Nervosa. This one kinda sucked for me since I have a friend who was bulimic tendencies. Also her former boyfriend is bulimic. So..yeah...touchy subject.
Anyways Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder(ED) in which people will eat large amounts of food in a  short time. Then, feeling guilty, they may purge(vomit), exercise too much, or use medicines such as laxatives to get rid of the food. Bulimia is one of the most common forms of ED's. Some of the reasons in which someone may have bulimia could be :

• if others in the family are overweight or have an ED.
• they have a job or a sport that stresses the body, such as modeling, ballet, or gymnastics.
• they are dealing with very stressful life events such as a divorce, losing a loved one, or moving to a new school or town.
• they feel the need to be and look perfect, never feeling good enough or worrying a lot.

Just like any ED it can effect women, men, and adolescents. It is not only associated with women, it can affect men and boys. Some of the symptoms of bulimia are:

• Purging to get rid of the food they consume in order not to gain weight.
• Using laxatives to vomit.
• Excising too hard or for too long.
• Using medicines to avoid gaining weight.
• Binge on a regular basis.
• Feel out of control in what they eat, feeling unable to stop eating.

People with this ED are afraid of losing control when they eat, and end up eating excessive amounts of food in a very short time. Another things is that bulimics are often not underweight, usually they are of normal weight. They binge in secret and will deny that they purge.
As scary as it is if you believe that someone has an ED whether it be anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified), or other ED's, it's best to help them get help. ED's can take a very long time to overcome. If you believe someone has an ED or any other mental illness you should TALK TO THEM. Tell them you are worried about them, tell them how much you care about them. Tell someone who can better help them either a parent, teacher, counselor, or doctor. Also URGE the person to talk to someone who could help (doctor, counselor, ect.)
You can also help him/her by listening to their feelings. It honestly will help them on a large scale. It did when I confessed to my friend about my ED. Show them you care for them. Avoid trying to control the person. Offer support during discouraging times.
Well that's all for this week. I also just thought I might as well sign off on these.
Until next week,
-Alexa