Bulimia Research
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder in which the person refuses to maintain a normal weight because of fear of obesity. It is a condition similar to anorexia, but it differs from anorexia because the person in bulimia has frequent binges of overeating followed by vomiting or taking laxatives and diuretics. This condition affects people in the upper social brackets and more affluent population, and just as in anorexia, almost all afflicted are female. Bulimia affected persons have deep remorse and regret after having a loss of control and the resulting vomiting and laxative use. Some do not try to hide the condition as most due in anorexia.
A wide fluctuation in weight control and a great concern of increasing weight are symptoms of bulimia. The afflicted person usually tells the doctor of her condition so there is no difficulty in making the diagnosis. Other indications of bulimia are swollen salivary glands in the cheeks, loss of tooth enamel on teeth from stomach acids from vomiting, and a blood test that reveals a low level of potassium.
Doctors usually treat this condition with psychotherapy and drugs. For best results the therapist should be one experienced in eating disorders.
