it is an eating disorder (DCA) that Russell, a psychiatrist at London's Maudsley Hospital, in 1979 called "a dangerous variant of" anorexia nervosa ".
In the past, this disorder has aroused little interest in studies and in the media, but only recently has it acquired its own independent nosographic dignity.
Currently, in order to diagnose bulimia nervosa it is necessary that there be the presence of binges and inappropriate eliminatory or compensatory behaviors, on average at least once a week for a period of at least 3 months.
Bulimic people to prevent weight gain compensate for compulsive binges either by fasting or excessive physical activity or by eliminating ingested food with self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives, diuretics or other drugs (DSM V, 2014). Based on the frequency of compensatory behaviors, the severity of the disorder can be divided into mild, moderate, severe or extreme.
Other significant characteristics accompany this disorder such as non-acceptance and an evaluation of oneself strongly influenced by body shape and weight.
, it can also occur in people of different ages and sexes. or overweight, so the appearance may not be as significant as in the case of anorexia. From the outside it is difficult to imagine that they greedily ingest excessive quantities of food, in a very short time until overcrowded they vomit. In fact, everything happens in secret: bulimia is their secret and no one should know it.Bulimic people, from the outside appear perfect, impeccable, strong and rational. These characteristics do not arouse suspicion.
But the reality is completely different: they are fragile people, who do not have self-confidence, who do not accept themselves. They feel ashamed of their eating problems and try to hide the symptoms, hence the loneliness and secrecy of binges.
The bulimic girl, like a perfectionist, sets the goal every day of following a strict diet. But all of a sudden her will fails and she just needs to eat a small amount of extra food to trigger an unstoppable craving to eat. according to the all-or-nothing thought typical of the disorder. With compensatory behaviors, on the one hand they feel relieved and happy not to be fattened, on the other hand, vomiting they are seized with a sense of guilt or shame for having lost self-control over their weight and hunger. But what makes her feel better is the certainty that tomorrow everything will start again as before.
- From a physical point of view it is difficult to recognize bulimia because it rarely incapacitates.
- The signs that could give us a confirmation of the disease are dental erosions and calluses on the back of the hand, due to self-induced vomiting.
- More rarely it is possible to experience alteration of electrolytes (which can manifest itself with dizziness, thirst, water retention, vague muscle pain, nerve spasms, apathy) or esophageal irritation. These complications are always secondary or directly related to the frequency of vomiting, the use of laxatives and diuretics and the duration of the disease.
, to his body, but the bulimic is unable to nourish his body because he does not allow food to reach its end due to compensatory behaviors. This compulsive eating behavior goes against nature and highlights an "inability to understand and decode emotions. The impulse to binge is to seek compensation in food and is an attempt to alleviate suffering, vomiting instead is a way to alleviate the sense of guilt." , you regain the control lost during the attack of hunger.
