WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ANOREXIA AND BULIMIA?

 Anorexia and bulimia are both eating disorders and are driven by the need to lose weight in an unhealthy and distorted pattern. They have many similar symptoms but exhibit different food-related behaviors. For example:

·        People with anorexia drastically reduce the amount of foods eaten to lose weight.

·        People with bulimia eat an excessive amount of food in a short time (binge) and then purge or take laxatives or diuretics to prevent weight gain.

Research shows us that approximately 50% of people who have anorexia develop bulimia or bulimic patterns, me included. I was a bundle of anorexia and bulimia, all intertwined into one massive mess.

Let's take a closer look at the different symptoms of both:

ANOREXIA NERVOSA ALSO KNOWN AS ANOREXIA 

People with anorexia want to be as thin as possible. They stop eating or eat very little and have several emotional, physical and behavioral symptoms.

Examples of emotional symptoms are: 

• An extreme fear of putting weight on or becoming fat

• Obsessed with their weight, dieting, and calories. They have a distorted body image and see themselves as much larger than reality

• Low self-esteem

Examples of physical symptoms are:  

• Severe weight loss

• Dehydration

• Fatigue

• Fainting or dizziness

• Amenorrhea, or absence of menstruation

Examples of behavioral changes are:  

• Skipping meals. A reduced amount of food and drink leads to very low weight

• Lying about how much food they've eaten

• Talking badly about their body

·      Eating only certain "safe" foods, usually low calories foods

• Extreme exercising for long periods

BULIMIA NERVOSA ALSO KNOWN AS BULIMIA

Bulimia (boo-LEE-me-uh) is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder. People with bulimia may secretly binge — eating large amounts of food with a loss of control over the eating — and then purge, trying to get rid of the extra calories in an unhealthy way.

To get rid of calories and prevent weight gain, people with bulimia may use different methods. For example, you may regularly self-induce vomiting or misuse laxatives, weight-loss supplements, diuretics, or enemas after bingeing. Or you may use other ways to rid yourself of calories and prevent weight gain, such as fasting, strict dieting, or excessive exercise.

If you have bulimia, you're probably preoccupied with your weight and body shape. You may judge yourself severely and harshly for your self-perceived flaws. Because it's related to self-image — and not just about food — bulimia can be hard to overcome. But effective treatment can help you feel better about yourself, adopt healthier eating patterns, and reverse serious complications. People with bulimia continue eating within their conditions. This behavior usually starts with a desire to be thinner. They binge large amounts of food and then purge to rid the body of the food (Mayo Clinic, n.d.).

There are different types of bulimia; so, let me explain further what they are:

Binge and purge bulimia

This is the most common type of bulimia in which people often appear to eat regularly or eat a large amount of food over a specific period, with a total lack of control during this period of binge eating. Then they force themselves to purge to stop themselves from gaining weight and to relieve themselves of food-related anxieties.

Non purging bulimia

Non purging bulimia is when people eat normally or overeat. But rather than purging to compensate for the foods eaten, they will do one or more of these:

• Excessively exercise

• Fast and stop eating for a day or more. (Bulimic fasting and weight-loss fasting have two different psychological and health implications. Dieters focus on food and weight, but with bulimics, it's about so much more. Yes, they focus on their weight and foods, but it’s more about achieving a sense of control, numbing uncomfortable feelings, and earning praise or acknowledgment.)

• Abuse laxatives or diuretics

Take laxatives and/or diuretics after a binge in an effort to lose weight and relieve emotional turmoil.

As with anorexia, many different emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms can signal bulimia.

Examples of emotional symptoms are:

• An extreme fear of putting weight on or becoming fat
• Obsession with weight, dieting, and calories
• Poor body image. Seeing themselves as much larger than reality
• Low self-esteem

(People with bulimia are more likely to be of an average weight for their age group than those with anorexia.)

Examples of physical symptoms are:

• Weight fluctuates dramatically between 5 lbs to 20 lbs per week
• Callouses, sores, or scars on knuckles from regularly vomiting. Broken capillaries from repeated vomiting
• Puffy cheeks. Swollen lymph nodes
• Bloodshot eyes. Cracked lips due to dehydration
• Tooth decay and enamel erosion
• Gastrointestinal problems. Acid reflux

Examples of behavioral changes are:

• Skipping meals.
• Not wanting to eat in front of others
• Disappearing to the restroom after meals
• Never-ending worrying about their weight. Restricting calories or eating only certain "safe" foods, usually low calories foods
• Eating to the point of discomfort
• Extreme exercising for long periods, especially after they've eaten
• Being secretive or very focused on food

So, if you have bulimia, anorexia, or both, the knowledge you'll learn from taking this course will empower you to start addressing how you can move forward in your life, free from your eating disorder.