Bulimia: Bingeing-Purging Disorder

Another common eating disorder is referred to as binge eating disorder. This type of disorder involves consuming very large amounts of food, almost compulsively, but without any associated behaviors to avoid the weight gain. Here, individuals eat until they can eat no more and until they are uncomfortably full. Their eating behaviors become out of their control.

Binge eaters do feel guilty about their consumption of food. They feel rejected, depressed, and shamed, and they become easily frustrated with themselves. Often, these individuals try to follow weight-loss diets but with little overall success. When failures do occur, compulsive eating begins again and patterns continue.

• Frequent overeating, especially when alone
• Gaining large amounts of weight, possibly becoming obese
• Eating until uncomfortably full
• Often eating when not hungry
• Feeling out of control when eating
• Preoccupation with foods, dieting, eating, and body weight
• Understanding that eating patterns are abnormal
• Frequently following restrictive diets without much success
• Feeling guilty after overeating
• Stomach and digestive problems
• Ongoing feelings of depression, frustration, rejection, guilt
• Low self-esteem