Bulimia nervosa: Symptoms, effects and treatment

July 17th, 2015 - Lovisa Alvin

Bulimia nervosa is a life threatening eating disorder disease characterized by binge eating leading to purging. It can affect all humans irrespective of gender and age. This disease can be associated with depression, anxiety or even suicide.

People suffering with this disorder continuously keep battling between the desire to eat food as well as to lose weight. During this period, the person tends to intake 3000-5000 calories in around an hour. And at the next moment he goes for a run or induces vomiting and wishes to undo the act of eating. Also, he feels out of control while doing all this.

However, it is important to understand that excessive eating followed by throwing up and a strict diet is what is known as bulimia.

Symptoms

Symptoms of bulimia include:

Being conscious of one self’s weight and body shape.
Uncontrollable eating behavior.
Continuing eating until pain.
Forcing one to throw up or exercise.
Following strict diet.

If you have any bulimia symptoms, consult a doctor as soon as you can because it can harm your health severely.

Effects

Living with this life threatening disease is very dangerous. It can lead to death as well. To list down the effects of bulimia are many:

Purging can result to dehydration and low potassium levels
Weight gain
Weakness, laziness and dizziness
Pain in abdomen
Tooth decay, ulcers and sore in mouth
Stoppage in menstruation
Damaged blood vessels in the eyes
Damaged stomach
Feeling of failure
Osteoporosis
Kidney failure
Sore throat
Constipation
Swollen hands, cheeks and feet
Irregular heartbeat and could even lead to death

Treatment

To end this binge and purge process, it is extremely essential to seek a medical help. And YES, treatment is available. And through treatment, bulimia can be fought back.

People can also seek therapy for its treatment as most of this disorder is mental. And mental imbalance makes do the physical.
The most effective way to get rid of this disease is both by psychological and medical treatment.

Psychological counseling forms an essential part of this treatment. It addresses both the psychological needs as well as the eating disorder symptoms that contribute to the eating disorder. The individual is taught to deal with him or herself most importantly. Utmost care is provided to the patients by a panel of doctors and health care experts. However, exact treatment varies for every individual according to their needs.

To treat Bulimia nervosa in Australia, you can contact Eatfed. They empower their clients from eating disorders. For more information, you can refer to their website: http://eatfed.com.au/

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