What is Bulimia?
Bulimia is a psychological eating disorder which can also be called bulimia nervosa, which can be characterized by episodes of binge eating, followed by purging as a means of weight control. Examples of these are voluntary vomiting, excessive use of diuretics and laxatives, excessive exercising, fasting, enemas, etc. Binge eating is when a person takes in a large amount of food than most people would normally consume in one seating.
How to spot a Bulimic?
Most bulimics appear to be normal people on the outside. Most are not fat nor are they chubby. Some may be overweight. They may be professional athletes, or they may even be your daughters or your cousins or any other close relative. It is hard to spot a bulimic, since most of them are very good in keeping their condition a secret. They often shy away from public and social gatherings, and they binge away in secret. They also deny their condition.
Some of the symptoms you should look out for if you suspect a loved one to be a bulimic are:
- Eating uncontrollably and they make up an excuse like they skipped a meal, etc
- They go to the bathroom right after they finish binge eating
- You hear vomiting sounds or smell vomit after they used the bathroom
- They exercise excessively and they constantly complain about their weight and their body image
- Abusive use of laxatives
- Heartburn
- Bloating
- Swollen glands in face and neck
- Bloodshot eyes
- Scrape marks in their hands and fingers when they use them to throw up
- Constipation
- Dental problems
- Irregular periods
My Own Experience of Bulimia
I have been diagnosed with bulimia a few years back. I was a 185 pound teenage who really wanted to lose weight to fit in. I became obsessed with my weight and my body image, but I still couldn't give up on my comfort foods. I would eat an average of 20,000 calories in one seating and would throw up everything 5 minutes after I finished eating. This was my life for more than a year. I kept it a secret from everyone by doing this in secret, while eating normally when I'm with company or not eating at all.
After a year, my stomach started to tell me that something is wrong. One night after my binge eating, I could not throw up. My stomach was not moving anymore. I could not throw up. I could not expel all the food that I ate. I had to be rushed to the hospital because I could no longer stand the stomach pain. They had to perform an endoscopy on me. And a complication developed. I involuntary threw up while I was unconscious so the food went to my lungs. That caused my lungs to collapse, causing aspiration pneumonia. I was rushed to the ICU where I stayed unconscious for 2 weeks. Luckily, I was a fighter. I woke up and did everything that is needed to recover. Slowly, I learned to love myself and considered myself blessed for this second life.
What to do when you've spotted a Bulimic
What bulimics need are a lot of love and family support. They also need professional help. You need to convince them in a very loving way to go see a professional to consult them about their condition, since bulimia can be caused by a lot of different factors, hence a case-to-case basis. Be prepared for denial, resistance, and even anger. A psychiatrist, a nutritionist or a counselor can be very much of help when dealing with bulimics.
Author's Advice to Bulimics
I know what you're all going through. It may seem impossible to stop and control the situation, but good news is that it can be overcome. Now, I'm living a normal life, eating the foods I want in a normal manner and enjoying a normal life, not in secret but in the company of the people I love. The first step is the willingness to help yourself and the openness to ask for help from other people. Do not be ashamed of what you're going through. You are not alone. We are here to help.
