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Robyn Oliphant
English 1010
Research Paper
Professor Szetela
October 22, 2014

Bulimia Nervosa
Eating disorders are a rising issue in todays society. Every time you turn around
there is something telling you that youre fat or dont have the right body image . With all
of the outside pressures of the world pressing in, it is easy to fall into a vicious trap of
eating disorders just so you look like the girl you saw on the magazine. Bulimia
nervosa, commonly called bulimia, is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating
disorder. People with bulimia may secretly binge eating large amounts of food and
then purge, trying to get rid of the extra calories in an unhealthy way. (Bulimia Nervosa,
Mayo Clinic) Bulimia Nervosa is a rising eating disorder that most girls are giving into so
they can still eat anything that they want to but can lose weight at the same time , or so
they think. You can help prevent bulimia nervosa in others by watching for physical
symptoms. There are quite a few of these physical symptoms that one can look for and
see in another person. Doctors are helping treat the victims of this disorder but the
individual person has to want to stop the vicious cycle of bulimia nervosa. Bulimia
Nervosa is a rising eating disorder and we can help end the vicious cycle if we all work
together to defeat it.

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Bulimia Nervosa is a very common eating disorder in todays society; it is mostly

present in female adolescent teens but can also occur in older women and men.
(Eating Disorders, Oxford) People with bulimia nervosa become so obsessed with
eating healthy and eating a certain way that they will do whatever it takes to get the
ideal body that they want. Once a person is diagnosed with this eating disorder it is
extremely hard to overcome it. They not only have to change their eating habits back to
normal but also change how they think. It is a physical and psychological disorder. It
takes serious effort and a serious desire to overcome this once and for all . It becomes
psychological because of how they see themselves. Many have low self-esteem,
depression and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). In some patient stories, they will
at one point get help but dont mentally want to change so the disorder continues. They
will than go back for a second round of treatment trying to beat the eating disorder that
they want so badly too rid from their life.
A direct cause of bulimia nervosa is not known but many things can play a factor
into it and raise your risk of getting it. Different things can cause or trigger bulimia
nervosa to start taking affect in someones life. Major life changes can affect a person
beyond measure such as a death in the family or a break up after being a relationship
for a really long time. (Eating Disorders, Oxford) When this tends to occur victims feel
as if their life is spinning out of control. They dislike not having control of their life so
they find something to control. In this case it is their eating disorder. They can control
when they binge and when they purge. As they continue to binge and purge it becomes

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an addiction and then they no longer have control. They find themselves in a vicious
cycle. Wanting to gain control of their life after a major life changing event can cause
the start of bulimia nervosa.
There are a wide variety of symptoms for bulimia nervosa on the human body,
along with multiple affects that it has on the victims health. When one is diagnosed
with bulimia nervosa they eat and eat and eat excessive amounts of food . Afterwards
they feel so guilty that they become depressed and end up purging what they just
consumed. (Bulimia Nervosa, Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia) They can
purge in a couple of different ways, either by throwing up and/or by using laxatives. By
doing this they feel like they have once again gained control of their life when in reality
they are slowly getting farther and farther away from having control. Most will avoid
eating around large groups of people. When eating with others, after everyone has left
or gone to sleep they will then consume large quantities of food.
Physical symptoms of bulimia nervosa are able to be seen if you watch for them.
This disorder nearly affects every part of the human body. (Bulimia NervosaSymptoms, WebMD) Most victims of it will have puffy cheeks like those of chipmunks,
because of repeated vomiting and their cheeks are usually very sore. Along with that,
their teeth will look different than most, usually they will be clear or very yellow because
of all the stomach acid being regurgitated. It is to be said that dentists are the first
people to know if someone is bulimic because it affects their teeth in such a harsh way.
(Bulimia Nervosa, Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia) Their brain starts to

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change and they develop depression and anxiety because of the constant fear of
gaining weight. Muscles become very fatigued including the heart, which can also start
to beat irregularly and or fail all together. For women, hormones will start to go out of
whack, their menstrual cycle will be either irregular or absent all together. Everything in
the body starts to change and after a while will continue to shut down because of this
severe eating disorder. Their physical appearances will start to change, they will look
sick at all times. (Bulimia Nervosa-Symptoms, WebMD)
In an average binge one will consume between 3,000 to 5,000 calories in less
than an hour. (Smith, Help Guide) With this a binge and purge cycle will begin. At the
beginning it starts with bingeing and follows by purging to not gain weight. Purging
doesnt help with not gaining weight. Vomiting right after a binge will only get rid of 50
percent of calories that were consumed. With most of the calories still in the body, over
time, people will usually gain weight instead of lose it. After purging, victims will
experience a variety of emotions from shame of themselves all the way to feelings of
disgust. They feel terrible about themselves and they dont know why they binged in the
first place. This leads to a strict diet where they wont allow certain foods into their body.
It leads to intense cravings and then the cycle starts all over again. The victims will
binge on food from the cravings that they felt during the strict diet. It is a vicious cycle
that never ends unless professional help is sought out. (Smith, Help Guide)
There are many different ways that professionals can help with bulimia nervosa,
and different treatments that they can use. Before seeking professional help, personal

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steps must be taken so that the victim will be prepared for the following treatment.
Many who suffer from Bulimia Nervosa know they have a problem but dont want to
admit it. They start treatment but it doesnt work because they dont want to change how
they live their life. For treatment to really work they have to accomplish the first step
which is admitting they have a problem and then talking to someone about the problem
they are having. Without this first step the treatment wont work. (Smith, Help Guide)
When listening to what a doctor tells them, it may go in one ear and out the other, if they
have no desire to change. Admitting that they have a problem and wanting to change it
has to happen before any other step can be started. Talking to someone that will
support them through the healing process is important. Finding a close friend who
cares about them and who can help them to find solutions to their problem is a great
help. They also need to stay away from things that trigger their urge to binge and purge.
These vary for each person. Knowing what these triggers are and being able to stay
away from them is critical in the healing process. A trigger may be certain friends,
certain things one does, being alone around a lot of food. Whatever the trigger, avoid it.
Seek professional help after or in addition to all of this. One supporter is good but
having a team behind the victim makes them more likely to succeed in the trial that they
are facing. There are usually three steps when finally finding professional help and
going into treatment. They are as follows:
First and foremost is breaking the binge and purge cycle. Breaking the binge and
purge cycle means they have to learn to stop the vicious cycle of bingeing and purging.
They go back to normal eating patterns and monitor exactly what they eat instead of just

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eating whatever they want to. They learn new ways to deal with their stress instead of
eating it away. They learn new eating habits and find new hobbies. It varies all based
on the person. It could be swimming laps in a pool to knitting a sweater. Instead of
eating 3,000 to 5,000 calories all at once they eat 3 regular meals each day spread out
over time. Basic steps like this are all the beginning to breaking the binge and purge
cycle. (Smith, Help Guide) Changing unhealthy thoughts and patterns in ones life is
the second step in defeating this eating disorder. Being optimistic is the best way to
accomplish this. Looking at the bright side of every situation, and avoiding all situations
that have to deal with weight in any way. If their friends start talking about how they
want to lose a couple pounds, they need to get out of the conversation and fast. They
need to find self-worth for themselves that isnt connected to their weight in anyway.
They need to think of how great their eyes look or how much they love the shoes theyre
wearing. They need to avoid thoughts that lower their self-esteem. Eating might not be
the only thing that needs changing. Some victims of bulimia nervosa exercise
excessive amounts. If so, they need to limit themselves to only exercising a certain
amount of times each week. Depending on certain victims situations theyll have to
change their unhealthy habits based on their life. (Smith, Help Guide)
Solve all your emotional issues that you are having is the third and final step.
Most of bulimia nervosa treatment is about rethinking yourself and gaining self-esteem
so this last step is huge. Without it, the whole treatment could either make it or break it.
Looking at what caused the eating disorder to take place in the first place is usually

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what is targeted. Whether it is relationship issues, depression, anxiety, or anything else

doctors work to help the person through the problem that started them into this vicious
cycle. Whether it is counseling or a prescribed medication, doctors want whats best for
their patients and will make sure to do whatever they can to help them with their
problems. They are their patients support group and dont want them to fall back into
the vicious cycle of bulimia nervosa. (Smith, Help Guide)
If you are the loved one that a victim of this eating disorder has come to for help,
make sure that you know how to help them efficiently. Make sure that you are setting a
good example for them. (Smith, Help Guide) Dont talk about how you wish you looked
a different way or how your weight loss plan is going. Instead tell them about the great
healthy dinner you prepared last night or the 5 mile run that you went on the other day.
They have to stay optimistic and it would help them if you did as well. Look at the bright
side of the situations that have occurred in both of your lives. Negativity could be one of
the causes of their bulimia nervosa. Offer support whenever possible, it is going to be
hard to listen to some of the stories but when they open up listen to them . (Smith, Help
Guide) They need to know that you care or they might not open up and tell anyone else
about the issues that they are currently going through. Know that you as the person
cannot change them. It might be easy for you to control what you eat and realize when
you have had too much. For them, though, it is difficult. They have to struggle through
the hard times to make it to the happy part at the end of their journey. If their support
system is strong and they know that you are there for them no matter what, they are

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more likely to succeed and conquer the vicious cycle that they have struggled with for
so long. Along with making sure that they are healthy and on the right path to recovery,
you have to make sure that you are healthy. If youre dealing with issues of your own,
you wont be as great of a help to them. Know when you need to talk to a counselor or
a doctor to help them out as much as possible.
Prevention of bulimia nervosa can help save a future victim of the vicious cycle .
Ways to help prevent getting an eating disorder is to think of yourself in a positive way
at all times. Cultivate and reinforce a healthy body image, never think of your body in a
negative way, always find the good. If you are a parent or guardian of children reinforce
in them a positive self-esteem starting at a young age. This way they will have a great
sense of self value throughout their entire life. (Mayo Clinic Staff, Prevention) Talk with
your doctor often, they know signs and symptoms better than most and can help to
catch eating disorders in an early stage. With their help they can stop pain and suffering
before it gets out of control. It is important that victims of this eating disorder balance
the stress that is occurring in their life. Getting overwhelmed makes them feel like they
dont have control of their life. (Can Bulimia Nervosa be Prevented?) This can lead to
bulimia nervosa. They need an outlet which helps them to balance their stress so that it
doesnt lead to anything unhealthy.
In conclusion, bulimia nervosa can viciously control a victims life for years on
end without anyone knowing that it is taking place. By knowing physical signs that take
place when it occurs, one can be of help to friends or family that might be victims of this
eating disorder. Knowing what the victim needs to do for themselves and knowing the

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personal steps they need to take before getting professional help can be of great value
to them. The affects that bulimia nervosa has not only affects the outside of the body
as well as the inside of the body. Victims should know what will happen if they dont
change their eating habits. Learning triggers and why bulimia nervosa occurs can help
one realize it before it all happens. Knowing that professional treatment is available, if
needed, can help one overcome the eating disorder and makes sure that they do not
relapse. Knowing these steps could help change a life. If we all paid attention to those
around us it could help changes a life in a great way.

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Works Cited
Smith, Melinda, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. "Bulimia Nervosa." : Signs, Symptoms,
Treatment, and Help. Help Guide, Sept. 2014. Web. 05 Nov. 2014.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Bulimia Nervosa." Prevention. Mayo Clinic, 3 Apr. 2012. Web. 01
Nov. 2014.
"Can Bulimia Nervosa Be Prevented?" Bulimia Guide. Bulimia Nervosa Resource
Guides, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
"Bulimia Nervosa-Symptoms." WebMD. WebMD, 11 Nov. 2013. Web. 06 Nov. 2014.
Eating Disorders (Oxford). 189. n.p.: Oxford University Press Inc., New York,
(2001.) Health Source - Consumer Edition. Web. 18 Oct. 2014.
Bulimia Nervosa Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia (2014.): Web 10
2014.

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