Behavioral Maladies: Bulimia and Anorexia

Eating disorders are associated with emotional andAnorexia restrictors reduce their weight by severe
personality disorders and even with a biologicdieting while anorexic bulimic patients maintain
susceptibility, and a culture in which there is anemaciation by purging. Literally anorexia means
overabundance of food and obsession with thinness.absence of appetite. For example severe anorexia is
The general categories of eating disorders are: bulimiacommon in the elderly. Anorexia nervosa is another
nervosa, anorexia nervosa and binge eating.kind of anorexia called psychological disorder.
Bulimia nervosa have been found in medieval writingsCompulsively over eating is also called binge eating and
as self-starvation. It is more common than anorexiameans becoming overweight.
and it begins early in adolescence. It is characterizedA person suffering from binge-eating disorder has the
by cycles of bingeing and purging and takes thefollowing characteristics: bingeing at least twice a
following pattern: bulimia is triggered when youngweek for six months, consuming 5,000 to 15,000
women attempt restrictive diets. Patients are takingcalories in one sitting, eating three meals a day plus
laxatives, diet pills or drugs to reduce fluids.frequent snacks, over eating continually throughout the
Patients revert to severe dieting, excessive exerciseday, rather than consuming large amounts of food
or both. Patients with bulimia average about 14during binges.
episodes of binge-purging per week. However aBinge-eating disorder is associated with weight gain.
patient must binge and purge at least twice a weekAnother category of eating disorders are not
for three months to be diagnosed with bulimia. Theotherwise specified (NOS) disorders. It has been
body weight may fluctuate by more than 10 poundsestablished to define eating disorders not specifically
because of the binge-pure cycle.defined as anorexia or bulimia. NOS includes the
An aversion to food that leads to a state of starvationfollowing: infrequent binge-purge episodes, repeated
and emaciation is called anorexia nervosa whichchewing and spitting without swallowing large amounts
includes: normal body weight with about 15%-60%, anof food and normal weight and anorexic behavior.
intense fear of gaining weight, even he or she isBulimia and anorexia are the most common disorders
severely underweight and the distorted image of thenowadays but fortunately a variety of techniques and
weight and shape. The people with anorexia are calledmodalities improved a lot so people can be helped.
also anorexia restrictors or anorexic bulimic patients.