Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa: An Overview
Around eight million Americans have an eating disorder. Girls and women are much more likely to have an eating disorder compared with boys and men. Of the eight million, only one million are male.
People who have an eating disorder were more likely to have been overweight as children or have a negative self-image. High academic achievers are prone to eating disorders, possibly due to strict expectations of themselves.
This is an eating disorder where the affected person is very worried about gaining weight, even when they are already underweight or a healthy weight. They may do intensive exercising and diet too much. Dieting can become extreme as they severely reduce their intake of food or stop eating altogether.
Symptoms include losing weight, eating progressively less, skipping meals, worrying about being overweight, and refusing to eat in front of other people, Leaving the table immediately after a meal may be a sign that the person is inducing vomiting.
Other symptoms may be obsessively exercising even when ill or in bad weather, using diet pills or laxatives, or repeatedly checking him or herself in a mirror or on weighing scales. There may be a loss of interest in sex, cessation of menstrual periods or loss of ability to have an erection.
A person with anorexia nervosa may experience dizziness, inability to concentrate or focus, thinning pubic hair, or fine hair on the skin. They may develop abdominal pain, constipation, or extreme tiredness. They may feel cold, wearing lots of clothes or baggy clothes. This could be to cover up how thin they are or to keep warm, or both. Loss of body fat makes you more susceptible to cold.
This is an eating disorder characterized by the urge to binge-eat. It is more common than anorexia nervosa, affecting four out of every 100 women. Affected people eat large quantities of highly fattening and "junk" foods such as cake and chocolate, and then force themselves to vomit it up because they are concerned about their weight.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
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