How is bulimia dangerous?

Answer 1

Bulimia is when someone uses excessive measure to lose weight. This could be from binging and purging, abusing laxitives, or extreme excercising after eating. I used to be bulimic by binging and purging. binging and purging can lead to: damaged tooth enamel and abcess throut and sinus infections digestion problems MALNUTRITION which can cause: mood swings loss of energy inability to focus and comprehension proplems loss of metabolism loss of hair I don't know much about the effects of abusing laxitives but here is the obvious. laxitives: digestion problems Malnutrition Jessica

Answer 2

You are bulimic when you make your self throw up after meals or use laxitives after meals. Most bulmics do this when they think they are fat, but do not have the self control to stop eating altogether. So, they "binge eat" which means try to diet then cave and end up eating too much, feel guilt, then make themselves sick, in order to make up for eating. Eating Disorders are very scary and serious. Once you start it may be next to impossible to stop. Seek help and medical intention at first signs.

Whenever anyone talks about bulimia nervosa the first thing they focus on is a list of symptoms to do with bingeing and purging. However, there is much more to bulimia than this. It is a very complex illness that is poorly understood, and one for which treatment is still in its infancy. Orthodox medicine has little to contribute aside from the treatment of some of the more obvious physical symptoms. Sadly this does little or nothing to effect recovery.

A list of physical symptoms is available below. Please don't think for an instant bulimia is limited to these. It is a deep seated psychological disease, often inherited, that affects the sufferer in a multitude of ways. The first signs someone has of being bulimic can be in the form of anxiety in early childhood. Only later (on average at the age of 17 and 4 months) does bingeing and purging enter the picture.

It helps to think of bingeing and purging as simply symptoms of a much deeper issue. It is an issue that can manifest itself in a multitude of ways, usually when the sufferer is at their most debilitated. They feel misunderstood, confused and then this unimaginable behavior manifests. Worse, the treatment they are often offered casts them as addicts and assumes their behavior is by choice. If addiction actually exists, it is assumed that this is further evidence of dysfunction. In reality the addiction is often another behavior triggered by anxiety; again, not a choice.

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The only treatment that is going to benefit the person suffering, is one that deals directly with the underlying causes. For this reason, many treatments simply suppress a few symptoms. They do not effect cure. Measures of success have nothing to do with weight. Locking someone away and preventing them from purging is not a solution. If anything, it contributes to anxiety.

Often we see addiction in the family. This may be alcohol or narcotics, but is often present in either parents or grandparents. There is something of a myth that has grown up to suggest many bulimics have been sexually abused. There is no statistical evidence to suggest that instances of sexual abuse in bulimics is any higher than in the general population. This sort of misinformation is dangerous, as it can prevent some sufferers seeking help. They were never abused and wouldn't want anyone to suspect their parents of abusing them.

Because of the higher likelihood of addiction in the family, sometimes the bulimic individual doe s not have the benefit if a family that is supportive. However, because they are generally intelligent and creative individuals, they can sometimes find another support network.

Many bulimics experience shame and guilt around their behavior. This is particularly sad as their situation is not one of their choosing. It is an illness just like Diabetes. However, sufferer often blames themselves for their condition.

Bulimic, or 'Group B', people have little control or moderation over some aspects of their life. Food tends to be focused on, however spending, drinking, exercise and sex are all areas in which this lack of moderation can be experienced. This is not by choice. It's simply deeply coded into the nature of the person. Only with careful management will they get things under control.

There is a direct relationship between satisfaction and anxiety. As their anxiety increases and their satisfaction reduces they become more likely to engage in bulimic activity. If for instance they have exams, or a difficult episode with friends, or even a nasty shock, they become radically more likely to binge/purge. Of course, narcotics and alcohol both increase stress and anxiety in the body. Excessive use of either is likely to trigger a return to bulimic behavior.

Many people forget that the poor moderation control also can have it's positive aspects. Bulimics are great employees, as they tend to take on additional work - unable to moderate their workload. There is a danger of 'burnout' here, however with a good manager this employee can be much more productive than her counterparts. Equally, at school they often do very well, because they give 110%. They work best in a project based environment, where work takes place in short bursts of intense activity, with periods for recuperation in between.

As the bulimic individual masters her situation she often thrives and moves into a new more creative stage of her life. She understands herself better, and learns to accept the benefits of her nature, while limiting the riskier aspects of it. Mastering anxiety often completely removes the binge/purge aspect of bulimia.

The BBC has some interesting information about Bulimia here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/womens_health/mind_eatingdisorders.shtml

Typical list of symptoms:

What are the effects of Bulimia?
Bulimia has a whole array of medical complications that can arise as the disorder worsens. These effects will infiltrate every inch of the body both physically and mentally. Some effects of bulimia are:

Physical Effects
* Irregular heart rhythms, heart failure
* Dry skin, callused or sore knuckles
* Sore, swollen cheeks
* Increase in cavities, tooth enamel loss, gum disease
* Stomach ulcers
* Rupturing of the esophagus, soreness
* For women, irregular periods
* Complications of the intestines
* Dependency on laxatives

Emotional Effects
* Depression
* Fluctuating emotions
* Feelings of anxiousness
* Poor self-image
* Feeling out of control
* Isolating oneself from others

Signs of bulimia
1. Swollen cheeks or jaw
2. Dehydration
3. Binge eats
4. Calluses or sores on knuckles
5. Going frequently to the bathroom after meals
6. Misuse of diuretics, laxatives or enemas
7. Stomach problems
8. Feels out of control when eating
9. Secretive about eating, or hides food
10. Broken blood vessels in the eyes

www.bulimiagirls.com

there's no set date to be bulimic. when your body is experiencing affects: stomach soreness, purging of blood, shaking after purging, weight loss, craving more food, etc, etc. then you can consider yourself bulimic

Answer 3

First of all, being bulimic is harmful because you will eventually starve to death if you persist in bulimia. Second of all, your teeth will decay because of the constant throwing up. Bulimia is VERY harmful.

Answer 4

Bulimia nervosa is dangerous because with time the hydrochloric acid that resides in your stomach being constantly washed up will wear away at the lining of your esophagus and cause you to bleed internally, your teeth will rot and fall out, you will constantly have bad breath, you will end up gaining a lot of weight because your body will go into starvation mode because although you only purge half of the calories you have taken in you are still expelling the food you ate.

Answer 5

bulimia is very dangerous because of the following:

1. dehydration
2. Osteoporosis
3. Muscle atrophy
4. Iron deficiency
5. Kidney failure
6. Anemia
7. Liver failure
8. Heart failure
9. Malnutrition
10. death