Bulimia as an emotional disorder involves an obsessive desire to lose weight, and the distortion of body image, in which episodes of extreme overeating are followed by self-induced vomiting, fasting, or purging, followed by depression. Bulimia as an eating disorder is defined as consuming a large quantity of food in a short period of time, followed by feelings of shame, and/or guilt. Regardless of whether it is an emotional disorder, or an eating disorder, bulimia before and after effects on the body are devastating.
Bulimia Before and After Symptoms
Triggers Before Bulimia• Being Hungry: Because bulimics refrain from eating for long periods of time fearing weight gain, many are in a constant state of perpetual hunger, …show more content…
While engaging in binge eating the bulimic gets comfort from the foods they have consumed. Most of them get immediate relief from hunger, and they feel full of energy, and able to continue on with their lives. However, these individuals also have a morbid fear of becoming overweight. After a binge eating episode, the bulimic has severe guilty feelings for losing self-control, and the relief of tension may be soon followed by a sense of despair.
After a Binge
After succumbing to an episode of binge eating, bulimics may also feel disgusted with themselves, worsening their depression. Overeating is then followed by self-induced purging, excessive use of laxatives, or vomiting. The methods of purging vary in technique, but some people find vomiting easy and spontaneous, lasting only seconds. For bulimics, purging becomes a way of controlling a binge. Others will use laxatives, but like vomiting, laxatives are ineffective for weight control. Unfortunately, until the binging behavior is under control, weight loss efforts are unlikely to be successful in the long term.
Symptoms After