Bulimia symptoms are, perhaps, the more easily hidden of the eating disorders simply because sufferers appear to be eating normally. As the binging and purging symptoms of bulimia are conducted secretly and in private, it is only the effects of this disorder that come to light. By then, the bulimic is usually in very real trouble.
Bulimia Defined
Bulimia is the shortened form of bulimia nervosa and is a psychological eating disorder which became recognized in the 1980s as a separate eating disorder from other known ones. The most significant of the bulimia symptoms is binge eating which is followed almost immediately by forced purging, or vomiting. Binge eating is an episode where the bulimic eats an inordinately large amount of food in one sitting. It is not brought on by hunger but rather by stress, depression, or self-esteem issues. Other symptoms of bulimia include excessive fasting, abusive use of laxatives and diuretics, compulsive exercising, and excessive worry about the body’s weight and shape.
There is a loss of control that is experienced during the binging episode but there is also a sense of calmness that is felt afterward. However, this feeling is quite short lived, and quickly turns into a feeling of self hating. Overeating followed by purging is a cycle that is repeated over and over again.
Common Symptoms of Bulimia
It can be rather difficult to tell if someone has bulimia as they can appear to be a perfectly normal weight. Some sufferers are even a bit over weight. You also will most likely not see someone in the midst of bulimia symptoms, such as binge eating. This is done in secret and it’s not out of the ordinary for the bulimic to consume up to 20,000 calories at a time. The foods used for the binging are considered comfort foods such as ice cream, cake, cookies, and other sweet foods.
Following are some of the more common symptoms found in people that are bulimic. Keep in mind that some you may notice, and others you probably won’t. The bulimia symptoms you may notice are:
- Uncontrollable eating.
- Rigid dieting.
- More than normal fasting.
- Exercising to an extreme.
- Frequent trips to the bathroom following meals.
- Obsession with body weight.
- Mood swings or depression.
- Face and neck glands are swollen.
- Weak and exhausted feeling.
- Eyes are bloodshot.
Some symptoms of bulimia that you may not be seeing include:
- Secret purging.
- Abuse of laxatives and/or diuretics used for weight control.
- Menstrual periods are irregular.
- Frequent heartburn and indigestion.
- Vomiting blood.
- Bloating and constipation.
- Dental issues.
How to Help the Bulimic
The symptoms that will be obvious to you are only the ones that cannot be hidden successfully. If you notice any of them, it is time to sit your friend or relative down and have a long talk. Be prepared for denial, as that is a very common trait of bulimia. The sufferer will not admit to having any problems at all. Unfortunately, this attitude makes you the one responsible for trying to obtain the help needed.
The denial may be so convincing that you will wonder if you imagined it all. Don’t doubt yourself if you are positive of what you have been seeing. It may not be one of the symptoms of bulimia, but lying is very common when trying to hide this disorder. Somewhere in the mind of the bulimic is the knowledge that something is very wrong. The denial starts there. After lying to themselves so much, it becomes quite easy to lie to everyone else about their bulimia symptoms. You have to be strong enough to combat the denial and do whatever it takes to get your loved one the help that is needed.
You can follow these links for more information on bulimia causes and bulimia signs. Some additional bulemia articles of interest include statistics on bulimia, the effects of bulimia, bulimia teeth damage, and the dangers in bulimia. Finally, to learn about bulimia sibutramine or citalopram bulimia treatment, just follow the links provided.