Anorexia and Bulemia: What You Should Know
By Alan S. Peterson, MD

How Do I Know If I Have Anorexia?

How Do I Know If I Have Bulemia?

If you have bulimia, you may eat a lot of food at one time.  This is called binging.  You may feel like you don’t have control of your eating. You may try to lose weight by throwing up after you eat, using laxatives or diet pills, exercising a lot, or not eating for a long time. You may do these things in private and not tell anyone. You may feel bad about yourself because you don’t like the appearance of your body.

Who Is at Risk for Getting an Eating Disorder?

Teenage girls and young women are the most likely to have an eating disorder, but anyone of any age can have one. People who get eating disorders tend to join in activities that stress being thin. Examples of these activities include ballet, gymnastics, running, figure skating, and cheerleading. People with eating disorders may have depression, (feeling sad and hopeless, and losing interest in things that you used to enjoy) or anxiety (feeling nervous or worrying too much). They may also feel that they need to be perfect.

What Are the Health Risks of Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders can cause serious health problems even death. If you have an eating disorder, your body may not get enough important vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. This can lead to problems with your heart, bones, skin, digestive system, and hormones. Making yourself throw up may cause your teeth to break down. 

How Are Eating Disorders Treated?

The goal of treatment is to make your health and eating habits better.  You may need to work with your doctor, dietitian, and a counselor to be able to do this.  They can help you:

• Manage any physical problems caused by the eating disorder.
• Develop good eating habits and stay at a healthy weight.
• Change how you think about food and about yourself.
• Improve how you handle feelings such as anger, anxiety, and feeling hopeless or helpless.
• Develop ways to keep the eating disorder from coming back.

Your family may be included in your treatment plan. Your doctor may prescribe medicine to help you with depression or anxiety. Medicines alone are not enough to help you get better.

If you have bulimia, working with a counselor or using self-help books may help you get better. However, this is not the best treatment if you have anorexia. You may need to be treated in a hospital if you are dangerously thin or have major medical problems. Talk to your family doctor about which treatment plan is best for you.

Are There Ways to Help Myself Get Better?

• Make and keep regular appointments with your doctor.
• Eat regular meals.
• Exercise regularly, but do not over exercise.
• Do not use laxatives or diet pills.
• Don’t follow fad diets or diets with very few choices or too few calories.
• Don’t use caffeine, alcohol, or cigarettes.
• Don’t use any illegal drugs that may be injurious to your health.

Where Can I Learn More About Eating Disorders?

The National Eating Disorders Association has an excellent website at www.edap.org. The National Association of Anorexia and Associated Disorders, Inc. has another well used website at www.anad.org.

• Health Library: Anorexia
• Health Library: Bulemia
• Health Library: Eating Disorders
• Physician Chronicles: Eating Disorders