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Bulimia Nervosa
By:LuzRamos
Phsychology
Period 3
Important Vocabulary
 Binge: excessive eating or drinking
 Induce: To lead or move, as to a course of action, by
influence or persuasion
 Purge: To remove or clear out.
Definition
 An illness in which a person binges on food or has
regular episodes of significant overeating and feels a loss
of control. The affected person then uses various
methods such as vomiting , laxative abuse and excessive
excercise to prevent weight gain.
Symptoms
 Bringe Eating Symptoms:
 -Lack of control over eating: Inability to stop eating or eating to the
point of physical discomfort and pain

Alternating between overeating and fasting: Rarely eats normal
meals. It’s all or nothing when it comes to food.
 Purging Signs & Symptoms:
 Going to the rest room after meals.
 Using laxatives. Or Excessive exercising- works out strenuously ,
especially after eating.
Associated Features
 What thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are characterized
by the disorder?
 Clauses or scars on the knuckles or hands: fromsticking
fingers down the throat to induce vomiting.
 Discolored teeth: From exposure to stomach acid when
throwing up. Teeth may look yellow or ragged.
Effects Of Bulimia
 Weight Gain
 Abdominal pain , bloating
 Swelling of the hands and feet
 Chronic sore throat
 Broken blood vessels in the eyes
 Weakness & dizziness
DSM-IV-TR

(1) Eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g., within any 2hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than
most people would eat during a similar period of time and
under similar circumstances. (2) A sense of lack of control
over eating during the episode (e.g., a feeling that one cannot
stop eating or control what or how much one is eating). B.
Recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior in order to
prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of
laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other medications; fasting, or
excessive exercise. C. The binge eating and inappropriate
compensatory behaviors occur, on average, at least twice a
week for three months. D. Self-evaluation is unduly
influenced by body shape and weight. E. The disturbance
does not occur exclusively during episodes of Anorexia
Nervosa.
Etiology:
 The potential cause of this disorder is not clear, but most
of the time it results from family history, social values
(such as admiring thinness), personality traits (such as
perfectionism) and also living a stressful life.
Prevalence
 How common is bulimia nervosa?
 Bulimia is highest among young woman who are aged
between 12 to 25
 Twins are somewhat more likely to share this disorder if
they are identical rather than faternal.
 Eating disorders also have cultural and gender
components. For example In Africa’s Culture plumpness
means prosperous & thinness can signal poverty &
hunger.
Prevalence Cont.
 In gender, women and men think differently.
 9 in 10 women said they would rather have a perfect
body than have A mate with a perfect body.
 6 of 10 men prefer to be with someone with a good body
instead of them getting in shape.
Treatments.
 Creative groups
 Recreational therapy
 Aftercare program
 Body Image Groups.
Prognosis:
 The probable outcome of Bulimia Nervosa may cause
many different kinds of problems for example
psychological problems, mental , gastro-intestinal ,
cardio-vascular system , kidney , skin , bones , and
hormonal problems. Most of the times even death.
 The chances of recovering is all up to the patients as long
as the person sees doctors , nutritionists , and therapists
they would be okay.
Discussion Question
 Explain how eating disorders may lead to health
problems?
References:
 Halgin , R.P. , & Whitbourne , S.K. (2005). Abnormal
psychology clinical perspectives on psychological
disorders. New York, NY: Mc Graw Hill.
 Myers, D.G. (2011). Myers’ psychology for ap* , New
York , NY: Worth Publisher
 Smith, M.M.A. & Kovatch, S. (2011). Bulimia nervosa:
signs, symptoms, treatment, and help. Retrieved from:
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/bulimia_signs_sympt
oms_causes_treatment.htm