With treatment plans, there will often be a combination of medicated approaches, and what’s called cognitive-behaviour therapy. Of course, the type of approach your doctor will take is determined by the severity of the condition and how long the condition has been present. Responses to each type of therapy can be dependent on a variety of factors such as pre-existing mental conditions and particular personality types. Someone that has OCD or is a perfectionist might struggle with specific treatment plans. Antidepressants Antidepressant medications work by increasing levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which are known to increase mood. As bulimia is often borne out of feelings of depression and anxiety, taking antidepressants may help to break the destructive binge-purge cycle, by controlling thought patterns, and reducing the urge to engage in such behavior. The most common antidepressant prescribed for bulimia is Fluoxetine, which contains serotonin, a hormone responsible for mood regulation, controlling emotions and in particular appetite. Many bulimics are found to have low levels of serotonin, which has been shown in studies to lower mood and increase irritability and even aggression. It’s interesting to also note that low serotonin ignites impulse control disorders. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) Some people struggle to open up to complete strangers and discuss issues which are incredibly personal, such as eating disorders.

There is a certain set of criteria that must be met for the diagnosis of bulimia. You can expect the following criteria to be examined by your doctor during an examination: Eating habits, including any large amount of food consumed in a very short time frame; and the feelings associated with eating habits, particular feelings around control. The use of diet pills, enemas, laxatives or self-induced purging to prevent weight gain. The frequency at which these behaviors occur in any given week. Generally, they will need to carry out this behavior at least twice a week for three months to meet the criteria for a diagnosis of bulimia. Physical evaluation A full physical evaluation must take place, including the observation of symptoms commonly related to bulimia, such as hair loss, stained teeth, or tenderness in the abdominal region from the presence of stomach ulcers. Low body weight is often associated with bulimia but is not always the case. Your doctor will take your blood pressure, test your blood and/or take urine samples to recognize any chemical imbalances or nutritional deficiencies. Psychiatric evaluation Because the mental state is also incredibly relative to the diagnosis of bulimia, your doctor will likely refer you to a specialist psychologist who is trained in the area of eating disorders.

Bulimia can cause incredible damage to your health, affecting your digestive system, the functioning of internal organs and overall mental health. Your relationship with food can become an overriding obsession, wherein it becomes difficult to achieve anything in many areas of life and difficult to even carry out normal day-to-day functions. This is not only extremely damaging to your own health, but also to your loved ones. Of course, each person’s situation varies greatly from that of another’s, but the most prominent consequences that come about from eating disorders such as bulimia include: Dental erosion and staining of teeth – Stomach acid are designed to stay in the stomach, however, constant purging can result in stomach acid frequently splashing up the esophagus and into the mouth. Because of its acidic nature, it can cause erosion and damage to your teeth and gums. High risk of developing GERD  – Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a serious condition that is a result of consistent stomach acid entering the sensitive lining of the esophagus. Without treatment, this can escalate to cancer in the esophagus. Less severe conditions associated with GERD, include heartburn and acid reflux, which also adds to the risk of dental erosion.

Causes: If someone is suffering from bulimia, their binge eating is usually (but not always) triggered by emotions such as sadness and/ or stress when reminded of a particular situation or event. Depression is a strong underlying factor linked to eating disorders. Bulimia can be a common condition amongst those that experience bullying, feelings of worthlessness or loneliness, are in abusive relationships or experience other forms of belittlement. The factors that lead to bulimia are incredibly complex and vary from case to case. Often the thought process of a bulimic is that they’re incredibly embarrassed and ashamed for their actions, especially if caught in the act of eating copious amounts of food. Their thought patterns are extremely destructive, often viewing themselves as incredibly weak, fat or disgusting.   For someone that has very low self-esteem, lack of confidence or have body-issues related to their appearance, they are more at risk of developing an eating disorder. The rise of social media and the illusion of perfection as displayed in photographs has also seen a rise in conditions such as bulimia. Warning signs: If you’re concerned that someone close to you may be suffering from bulimia, you should look for the following signs:

Bulimia is an extreme psychological disorder that can be life-threatening. It is a vicious and ongoing cycle. Bulimia, or bulimia nervosa, is typically where someone will uncontrollably binge on a large amount of food in a very short period of time. Often these will be poor food choices that are high in saturated fat, or very high in sugar such as pizza or donuts. If you could picture someone aggressively searching through their fridge and pantry, before loading the kitchen table up with junk food and sitting down to rapidly consume large portions, then this wouldn’t be an image too far from the truth. Bulimics wouldn’t have trouble consuming an entire tub of ice cream or multiple packets of chips in one sitting. After exhibiting such eating patterns, someone suffering from bulimia will become saturated with guilt and disgust and then feel the need to force themselves to vomit or expel the food from their body, using medication like laxatives. This is usually in an effort to avoid any weight gain. In the mind of a bulimic, there is a never-ending battle between the desire to eat and the desire to avoid weight gain. The action of overeating, feeling incredibly guilty, and then purging can often be an outlet if you’re not coping well with or negative experiences or situations in your life.