- Or:
- bulimia
- Related Topics:
- nutritional disease
- eating disorders
- On the Web:
- Psycholology Today - Bulimia Nervosa (Oct. 18, 2026)
bulimia nervosa
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What is bulimia nervosa?
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder marked by a cycle of binge eating followed by actions to compensate for it, such as throwing up or using too many laxatives or diuretics. Some people may also exercise too much or fast after bingeing. This pattern usually happens at least twice a week for three months or more and can cause health problems like tooth decay or dehydration.
Bulimia nervosa is more common than anorexia nervosa, though they can co-occur. It typically starts in teens or early adulthood and is linked to things like genes, constant dieting, and being overly critical about body shape. Cognitive behavior therapy, along with antidepressants and interpersonal therapy, can help treat it.
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What are the main symptoms of bulimia nervosa?
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder marked by a cycle of binge eating and compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, or misuse of laxatives or diuretics.
The main symptoms of bulimia nervosa include:
* Engaging in repeated episodes of binge eating, defined as consuming a large amount of food in a short period
* Inappropriate behaviors to prevent weight gain
* A distorted perception of body weight and shape
* Self-image is unduly influenced by weight and body shapeThese behaviors typically occur at least twice a week for a minimum of three months and can lead to medical complications, such as dental decay or dehydration. If you would like to speak with someone about bulimia, call the ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) helpline at (888) 375-7767.
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How does bulimia nervosa affect a person's health?
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder marked by a cycle of binge eating and compensatory behaviors like self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, or misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas. This pattern typically occurs at least twice a week over three months and can lead to medical issues, including dehydration and dental decay.
Bulimia nervosa is more prevalent than anorexia nervosa, and both can occur in the same person. The condition can cause severe dehydration and may even be fatal.
If you would like to speak with someone about bulimia, call the ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) helpline at (888) 375-7767.
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What causes someone to develop bulimia nervosa?
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder marked by a cycle of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors like self-induced vomiting or excessive exercise.
Several factors can contribute to the development of bulimia nervosa, including genetic and biological factors, a history of chronic dieting, and a lack of awareness of internal feelings and emotions. Self-image overly influenced by body shape, a family history of eating disorders, and judging oneself by external standards also play a role. Other emotional disorders, such as depression or substance abuse, often co-occur with bulimia nervosa.
Bulimia nervosa typically emerges in adolescence or early adulthood and is more common in industrialized countries where there is intense media focus on a thin ideal.
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How is bulimia nervosa diagnosed?
Bulimia nervosa is diagnosed when binge eating is followed by inappropriate compensatory behaviors, such as self-induced vomiting or misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas. These episodes usually occur at least twice a week for three months or more.
To be diagnosed, a person with bulimia will display an intense fear of weight gain and use unhealthy weight control methods. Unlike those with anorexia nervosa, individuals with bulimia maintain a normal weight for their age, sex, and height. Cognitive behavior therapy, nutritional education, and normalization of eating patterns are typical treatments.
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What treatments are available for bulimia nervosa?
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder marked by binge eating, followed by actions to compensate for it, such as vomiting or misuse of laxatives, excessive exercise, or fasting. Cognitive behavior therapy, involving nutritional education and addressing dysfunctional thought processes, is considered the most effective treatment. Other options include antidepressant medications and interpersonal psychotherapy, which focuses on the patient's relationships with others, but these are generally secondary treatments. A structured eating plan is also a helpful component of treatment.
If you would like to speak with someone about bulimia, call the ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) helpline at (888) 375-7767.
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bulimia nervosa, eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by inappropriate attempts to compensate for the binge, such as self-induced vomiting or the excessive use of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas. In other cases, the binge eating is followed by excessive exercise or fasting. The episodes of binge eating and purging typically occur an average of twice a week or more over a period of at least three months, and repetition of the cycle can lead to serious medical complications such as dental decay or dehydration.
If you would like to speak with someone about bulimia, call the ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) helpline at (888) 375-7767.
Bulimia nervosa is one of two main classifications of eating disorders. The other is anorexia nervosa, which is characterized by extreme dieting, a refusal to maintain normal body weight, and subsequent emaciation; however, anorexia may also involve episodes of binge eating and purging. Individuals with bulimia nervosa, in contrast to anorexia nervosa, generally maintain a body weight near normal for their age, height, and sex. Both illnesses are accompanied by characteristic unhealthy weight-control methods and an intense fear of weight gain. Approximately 85–90 percent of the people diagnosed with bulimia nervosa are women. An estimated 1–3 percent of women in the United States suffer from bulimia nervosa at some time in their life. When the diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa are met, a qualified health care professional also will specify one of two types of the illness: purging type (episodes of binge eating are followed by self-induced vomiting or misuse of laxatives or enemas) or nonpurging type (episodes of binge eating are followed by fasting or excessive exercise).
Cases of binge eating followed by purging can be found in historical records, but bulimia nervosa was not officially recognized as a psychiatric disorder until 1980. The recognition of the diagnosis was due in large part to a dramatic increase in cases in the 1970s and ’80s. Experts often attribute the increase to the intense focus in the popular media on thinness as an ideal for young women and to a greater recognition of the condition by health care professionals. The “thin ideal” referred to by experts is most prevalent in affluent industrialized countries, and it is in these countries that bulimia is most common.
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Bulimia nervosa usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood. Some of the factors that appear to contribute to the development of the disorder are genetic and biological factors, chronic dieting, a lack of awareness of internal feelings (including hunger and emotions), a self-image that is unduly influenced by weight and body shape, a family history of eating disturbance or body image complaints, and a tendency toward self-judgment based on external standards rather than internal evaluations. Other emotional disorders, including depression, substance abuse disorders, and certain personality disorders, often coexist with bulimia nervosa, but it is not clear whether these disorders are precursors to the illness.
Cognitive behavior therapy is the most widely researched and apparently the most effective treatment for bulimia nervosa. Treatment with cognitive behavior therapy involves nutritional education, normalization of eating patterns, and addressing dysfunctional thought processes such as perfectionist thinking, especially concerning appearance or diet. Also useful in treating bulimia nervosa are antidepressant medications and interpersonal psychotherapy, a psychological technique that focuses on changing the way in which the patient relates to other people. These two alternatives, however, are generally considered to be secondary treatments, because the benefits of antidepressant medications often last only as long as the medication continues to be taken, and interpersonal therapy produces beneficial results more slowly than cognitive behavior therapy.