BulimiaBulimia is an eating disorder in which a person regularly binge eats, then tries to prevent weight gain by self-induced vomiting, water pills, laxatives, fasting or extreme exercising. Bulimia was little known prior to the 1970s, even among psychiatrists. A pattern of binge eating followed by purging was initially linked to the advanced stages of anorexia. In the mid-1970s, it was seen as a distinct illness characterized by the cycle of binging and purging. In 1979, Dr. Gerald Russell, an English psychiatrist, coined the disorder "bulimia nervosa." Symptoms of Bulimia often include:
CausesMost people with bulimia share certain personality traits. These personality traits often include, but are not limited to low self-esteem, feelings of helplessness and a fear of becoming fat. Bulimia may develop when an individual is trying to gain control in her life. If she is experiencing stress, anger or anxiety problems towards family or relationships the control over her intake of food can be seen as the ultimate way to control her life. Unfortunately, what starts out as a means to gain control over herself and her body ends up controlling her Many people with eating disorders also appear to suffer from depression or OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), and is believed that there may be a link between these disorders. Because eating disorders tend to run in families, and female relatives are the most often affected, genetic factors are believed to play a role in the disorders. Society's emphasis on dieting and fitness contributes to young girls' self destructive image of themselves. Since so much value is placed on image, the individual may feel that they are achieving for others and not for themselves, this in turn contributes to low self-esteem or depression which can lead to an eating disorder. Risks
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