Eating Disorders

Bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is characterised by repeated uncontrollable episodes of binge-eating followed by the use of unhealthy compensatory behaviours (e.g. vomiting, laxatives, excessive exercise) to prevent weight gain.

If you have bulimia you may experience the following symptoms:

• Eating a lot of food in one go and then trying to get rid of it through making yourself sick or using laxatives
• Feeling ashamed and guilty about binging or purging
• Thinking that you are fat or hating your body
• Having a craving for certain foods
• Frequently being de hydrated

Your weight usually remains constant so people aren’t likely to spot that you have a problem.

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia is an eating disorder where a person keeps their body weight as low as possible. People with anorexia usually do this by restricting the amount of food they eat, making themselves vomit, and exercising excessively.

The condition often develops out of an anxiety about body shape and weight that originates from a fear of being fat or a desire to be thin. Many people with anorexia have a distorted image of themselves, thinking they're fat when they're not.

Signs and symptoms of anorexia:

• Missing meals, eating very little, or avoiding eating any fatty foods
• Obsessively counting calories in food
• Leaving the table immediately after eating so they can vomit
• Taking appetite suppressants, laxatives, or diuretics (a type of medication that helps remove fluid from the body)
• Repeatedly weighing themselves or checking their body in the mirror
• Physical problems, such as feeling lightheaded or dizzy, hair loss, or dry skin

Your weight usually remains constant so people aren’t likely to spot that you have a problem.