Bulimia

Striving for the Perfect Body

Have you ever wanted to change something about your body? While some people get plastic surgery or just live with their imperfections, bulimics take matters of their weight into their own hands. Bulimics do more harm than good to their bodies, that may be irreversible or eventually life threatening.

"Bulimia is an eating disorder characterized by a pattern of episodic binge-eating" (Mitchell 29). People with bulimia are aware that the way they eat everyday is not normal, but they feel like they can not stop it. The behavior is usually done alone and the person usually feels depressed and remorse about what just happened. Bulimics are always concerned about their weight, often making themselves vomit or abuse laxatives to prevent themselves from gaining weight or to lose weight. Bulimics have strong urges to overeat, vomit or abuse purgatives to avoid getting fat from the large amount of food they eat, and are afraid to become obese. Bulimia is relatively common disorder in young females and young adult college students. Bulimia sometimes starts with dieting behavior, traumatic events, or a history of loss or separation. "Common losses mentioned were moving away from home or the breakup of a romantic relationship" (Mitchell 36). Bulimia also tends to start in people who have had periods of being overweight. (Mitchell 29-38)

Depression is one symptom that is very common in bulimics. "As the bulimic behaviors assume increased importance, social and family relationships, work or job performance, and self-esteem all suffer" (Mitchell 38). Bulimic women tend to feel sadder, lonelier, and weaker. Impulsivity to eat, shoplifting or stealing, and self-cutting or self-mutilation are other examples of problems frequently described in people with bulimia. "Chemical abuse also appears to be associated with bulimia (Mitchell 40). Chemical abuse of mainly alcohol and the abuse of food in bulimia have common features. "The similarities include loss of control over the use of the substance, preoccupation with the use, use of the substance to cope with stress or negative feelings, reenforcing nature of the behavior, secretiveness, social isolation, and legal and occupational consequences" (Mitchell 40). (Mitchell 38-42)

Bulimia causes many medical complications. People with bulimia usually complain of lethargy and impaired concentration as well as abdominal pain after binge-eating and vomiting. The binge-eating and vomiting also causes dehydration, gastrointestinal problems, and fluid and electrolyte abnormalities. Some doctors believe that bulimia may sometimes cause pancreatitis, abnormal EEG's, and irregular menstrual functions. "Considering the reports of serious electrolyte abnormalities and gastric dilatation in bulimics, one would sadly predict that fatalities have and will occur" (Mitchell 67). (Mitchell 62-67)

"Most individuals suffering from bulimia can be treated as outpatients" (Anderson 119). "Many bulimic patients have mild to moderate symptoms that improve without requiring the structured environment of the inpatient setting, and most patients are not very low in weight" (Anderson 119). Outpatient treatment of bulimics provides the basis for a treatment strategy and to give a prognosis without being hospitalized. A good reason for treating bulimics out of the hospital is that it is not such a difficult transition back to the real world, than is making the transition from inpatient to outpatient status. "If weight is not seriously lowered, and the metabolic abnormalities are not severe, there is little medical indication for hospital admission" (Anderson 119). "However, thoughts or intents of self-harm may cause the therapist to refer the person to inpatient treatment" (Anderson 119). The Outpatient Treatment of bulimia starts with a psychologic, medical, social, and nutritional assessment. Teaching and support of the disorder as well as medical treatment follow up the outpatient treatment. (Anderson 119-127)

"The patient with bulimia referred for inpatient treatment usually has some associated problem-low weight, metabolic abnormalities, other impulse disorders, or difficult personality