Some research that shows it is addictive. During the purging process, the body is highly stimulated and then feels a sense of calm when the purging is complete. It’s common for infrequent bouts with binging and purging to turn much more frequent. Several of my patients have stated that within a few months, they went from irregular, inconsistent bulimic behavior to binging and purging several times a day.
Bulimia does not have as high of a mortality rate as does Anorexia. Approximately 2 percent die from Bulimia. The person with Bulimia is usually average weight or a little bit above average weight. This makes it much harder to detect by parents and health practitioners since the person is not malnourished. The overall incidence of Bulimia is increasing. There is evidence that the disorder is increasing in females between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. In fact, Bulimia is currently estimated to occur in up to 1 to 2 percent of all teenage girls in the United States and is listed as the fourth most common chronic illness in adolescent females.
There are several medical consequences associated with Bulimia. Unfortunately, the repetitive act of binging and purging affects many of the systems in the body. The most dangerous affect is on the muscles in the body, mainly the heart. Electrolyte imbalance is a common problem for individuals with Bulimia. Low potassium levels are particularly dangerous and could cause heart failure. Binging and purging affect the digestive system. Metabolism slows down to conserve food and energy and the digestive process is often disrupted, resulting in severe bloating and severe constipation. People who engage in purging behaviors may cause ruptures or tears in their stomach and/or esophagus as well as intestinal damage from using laxatives. The purging also causes tooth decay as the stomach acid erodes the enamel on the teeth when it comes up with the food. Dentists are often the first medical practitioners to alert parents of this problem from their visual observations.
Signs often indicated by parents, teachers, coaches, or friends include things like:
