Bulimia: An Obsession with Weight Gain

If you or your loved one is suffering from bulimia, you are not alone. Fairwinds eating disorders treatment facility provides highly effective bulimia treatment designed to heal the physical and emotional injuries of this dangerous, yet very treatable, eating disorder. Contact us today to begin building a lasting recovery.

What is Bulimia?

Individuals with bulimia nervosa engage in destructive and secretive cycles of binge eating (the consumption of excessive amounts of food in a short period of time), followed by purging (vomiting, using laxatives or exercising excessively) or other dangerous behaviors to prevent weight gain.

• A person diagnosed with bulimia nervosa engages in episodes of binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors, on average, at least twice a week for three months. Binge eating is characterized by both of the following:
  • Eating in a discrete period of time (e.g., within any two-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than what most people would eat during a similar period of time and under similar circumstances.
  • A sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g., a feeling that he/she can’t stop eating or control what or how much he/she is eating).
• Uses inappropriate compensatory behaviors regularly to prevent weight gain, such as:
  • Self-induced vomiting
  • The misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas or other medications
  • Fasting
  • Excessive exercise
• Places an excessive emphasis on body shape and weight in his/her self-evaluation and uses these factors to determine his/her self-esteem.
• Doesn’t engage in these behaviors exclusively during episodes of anorexia.