What is bulimia? Bulimia falls under types of eating disorders where the victim experiences regular intervals of heavy eating or bingeing in which time the affected person is unable to control their eating (Fairburn, Christopher and Harrison, 407–416). The affected person can employ various avenues such as purging (laxatives) or vomiting as a way of avoiding weight gain. A good number of people suffering from Bulimia also suffer from anorexia. Anorexia, according to Treasure et al. (2015), happens to be a psychiatric disorder in which the affected person experiences serious weight loss and tertiary problems relating to malnutrition. Adolescence age is the most likely period people suffer from it.

People suffering bulimia can also do excessive exercises to try and keep their weight in check. During the purging period the person suffering from Bulimia disorder can lose control of them and get involved in hysterical attempts aimed at undoing their feelings (Graves, Bonnie). Due to the fact that the affected person may have episodes of purging and bingeing in clandestine places they can conceal the disorder quite well for long durations of time. People suffering bulimia disorder develop these clandestine behaviors in their efforts to avoid excessive weight gain and gain back control of themselves. They also use the behavior to handle challenging situations or circumstances. Gerald Russell, a psychiatrist from Britain, described bulimia nervosa in 1979 as a Greek word which means ravenous hanger (Eating Disorder Hope, 1). People suffering from the disorder are advised to promptly seek professional help in order to overcome the disorder.

Bulimia exists in two common categories and they are the non-purging and the purging type. The purging type of bulimia nervosa is quite rampant among the people suffering the eating disorder. Individuals with purging bulimia will engage in acts of diuretics, enemas, laxatives abuse, and induced vomiting following a time spent in bingeing. The non-purging bulimia is another form of bulimia where the affected individual uses other methods that are inappropriate for the purpose of trying to compensate for the period they spend bingeing. Some of the behaviors include fasting or excessive exercise. The typical purging behaviors of vomiting will not be used often. Either way the person in question is still suffering from the eating disorder.

Bulimia and teenage

Given that bulimia nervosa is a serious psychiatric disorder, it affects many people including men and women across all ages, all races, backgrounds and genders. Teenage people are more susceptible to this eating disorder...

Coaches, teachers and family members may confuse the disorder with a craze from which the teenagers will get themselves out of within no time. In actual fact bulimia could cause detrimental emotional and physical distress and even lead to death.
Denial is one of the tactics family members use to avoid confronting the eating disorder among their teenage children (Eating Disorder Hope, 1). More often we are supportive and hopeful of the young ones that we avoid any quick judgments that they might be suffering from some disorder. It is quite possible to be inclined more towards denial of the warning signs that a teenage family member has an eating disorder. It is recommended that proactive measures aimed at discussing health concerns with adolescent children must be taken rather than hoping that the problem will silently solve itself.

There are various ways that someone can identify suffering from a teenager. Some of the symptoms and signs highlighted below can reveal instances of an eating disorder in teenage kids.

· Social withdrawal and isolation from friends and family

· Gastrointestinal distress including ingestion, constipation, bloating, diarrhea or nausea

· Physical complications complaints like fatigue, dizziness, sore throat, blurred vision, muscle weakness or muscle cramps or tremors

· Occasional disappearance after a meal or into the bathroom

· Fluctuating body weight due to the effects of bingeing and purging episodes

· Irregular menstruation or loss of it all together.

· Obsession with weight and body image

· Odor or smell of vomit on clothes or the body

· Dental complications, like bleeding gum, teeth erosion, or increased cavity

· Compulsive behavior patterns like excessive exercise, drug use, stealing, calorie counting etc.

It must be understood that body weight is not necessarily an eating disorder indicator. It definitely does not indicate bulimia (Parks, Peggy, 1). The signs highlighted can be indicative of some struggle with bulimia among teenagers. The signs must never be ignored. Teenagers suffering from bulimia may not show outward indicators because weight may not be a definitive indicator of any serious eating disorder problem. Teenagers can be overweight or even have normal weight but still be suffering from bulimia. The condition can encourage the teenagers to conceal their condition for many years.…