Bulimia And Anorexia – Symptoms, Treatment, And Differences

Bulimia And Anorexia – Symptoms, Treatment, And Differences

Bulimia and anorexia are two eating disorders with similar signs and symptoms, but different food-eating behaviors characterize the two.

For instance, when talking about anorexia, sufferers tend to lose weight by reducing the amount of food they take in.

People with bulimia have a habit of excessive intake of foodstuff within a short duration followed by purging behavior.

Anyone can suffer from an eating disorder, but women tend to be the most affected. Studies show that nearly thirty million Americans are victims of eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia.

In this article are more details about these conditions.

Signs And Symptoms

The signs and symptoms mostly depend on the individual, with many of the sufferers showing they are not satisfied with their body image.

Anorexia

Beginning with anorexia, victims with this disorder always start from a lack of confidence in the body image resulting in depression, trauma, and anxieties.

Some of the physical signs shown when a patient is suffering from this condition include:

  • A tendency to lose a lot of weight;
  • Insomnia;
  • Dehydration;
  • Constipation;
  • Fainting or feeling dizzy at times;
  • Hair loss.

Bulimia

Bulimia gives the victim an unhealthy habit of refusing food consumption for some period. With these choices, they end up damaging body cycles causing panics mostly about calories they have ingested.

Some of the symptoms shown by bulimia include:

  • Increase and decrease in weight at a minimum period of one week;
  • Dehydration results in cracking lips;
  • Burst blood vessels in the eyes;
  • Induced vomiting resulting in sores and scars on knuckles;
  • Victims also face sensitivity in the mouth.

With these anxieties and pressures due to a lack of control in eating behavior, many victims find different behaviors to prevent gaining weight.

Causes Of Bulimia And Anorexia

The cause of bulimia and anorexia is not clearly understood, but most researchers believe it may be caused by different factors, including environmental, biological, and psychological.

Some of these causes include:

Genetics

According to research, one person having the sickness in a family is likely to pass down the disease to another member in the line.

This is because hereditary factors can leave someone predisposed to eating disorders.

Your Emotional State

People with a history of mental illness or trauma are always at a high risk of developing the disorder.

For example, low self-esteem or stress can increase the risk of developing an eating disorder. In these situations, therapy is highly advised.

Peer Pressure

The current state of this generation gives many teenagers and youths the pressure of wanting a perfect body shape.

It is believed that self-worth and succeeding in life with an ideal body is the best life accomplishment emphasized by most peers and media.

Options For Treatment

Eating disorders have a slow treatment process since a healthy weight cannot be reached quickly. However, several available treatments have been tested to work on both conditions.

Doctors mostly recommend therapies and rehabilitation centers for correct treatment. In addition, some medicines should be prescribed to treat these conditions.

The main goal for treatment is to address the cause of your eating disorder, help you have a good food relationship, and change your unhealthy behavior.

The treatment of eating disorders is done in both inpatient and outpatient settings:

  • Outpatient treatment (preferred by most patients) includes seeing the doctor frequently, therapy sessions, visiting a nutritionist regularly while continuing your life’s daily routines.
  • On the other hand, inpatient treatment is required when the patient fails to follow his outpatient rules. Here you are hospitalized or stay in a rehabilitation center designed to assist you in recovering from your condition.

The Takeaway

Both bulimia and anorexia are eating disorders that can be easily treated. So lookup for any of the above signs and symptoms and, if any, ask your doctor for help.

Depending on the gravity of your situation, you’ll get the right treatment to get back on your feet asap.

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