Bulimia

Dying to Be Thin

Young attractive women between the ages of twelve and twenty five are the most

common with eating disorders. They are the most conscientious. They are full of

potential and eager to please. These are the characteristics all found in women today

who suffer from a serious and life-threatening eating disorder called Bulimia.

The most common misconception concerning Bulimia is that it is simply a

physical or mental problem. Many people do not understand that Bulimia is a disease that

affects both the mind and the body, and in its course can destroy both aspects of the

diseased individual. Bulimia is an eating disorder which is becoming more common in

young women today and affects as much as 3 to 4 percent of college-aged women

(Gaughen, 27). Bulimia is a type of eating disorder in which someone who consumes a

lot of food in a short amount of time (bingeing) and then tries to prevent weight gain.

Purging may be done by making oneself throw up. Bulimics take laxatives, pills and

liquids that increase how fast food moves through their body to a bowel movement. A

person with bulimia may also prevent weight gain by exercising a lot, eating very little or

not at all and taking pills to pass urine. Bulimia can quickly become addictive, and

difficult to overcome. When an individual finds they have a magical "solution" to

overeating, bulimia can seem like your new best friend. Yes, bulimia may be hard to

detect but it is one of the deadliest and most serious eating disorder. Some bulimics are

even more likely to be overweight because of the secretive nature of eating and purging

behaviors.

The typical bulimic is usually intelligent and is an extremely sensitive person.

These individuals suffer from low self-esteem, and may also have problems coping

with sexuality issues. They feel they must be perfect on the outside so we can't see the

flaws they assume to have inside. They feel as if they can't control what goes into their

mouth, they will be able to control what goes out. Bulimics are often perfectionists, those

who feel they have severe standards to live up to. Those who feel that they cannot control

their lives may turn to eating disorders as a means to feel in control of some aspect of

themselves. They tend to have an intense fear of becoming a failure, and letting others

down.

In our society today we usually admire men for what they do and accomplish.

While women are usually evaluated by how they look regardless of what they may do.

The most common reason why young intelligent women ram their finger down their

throat or starve themselves near death is simply because they have a poor self image as

they continually compare their bodies to models and celebrities. Women obsess in how

they want the perfect body and this thought of being thin floods their mind everyday on

how to achieve this.

There is no one thing that triggers bulimia. Some contributing factors are family

dynamics, sexual abuse, peer pressure and finally the media. Today's 'thin is beautiful'

image may be a contributing factor (Gaughen, 64). Even the media contributes to this

pressure for women and that we should have that model figure and that thinness relates to

success. Other triggers of eating disorders are preceded by a stressful or traumatic event.

An average dieter may spend time thinking of weight and food, but someone who

is bulimic obsessively thinks about food. It is the first thing that he or she may think of

waking up and the last the last thought when going to bed. It consumes your life, thoughts

in everyday decisions. Time is filled with thoughts on food, calories, and gaining weight.

Everyone needs food to survive, but for bulimics, food overwhelms them and completely

dominates their time and actions. The people who suffer from Bulimia feel alone,

exhausted, out of control and depressed.

Bulimia is a disease that affects the entire body, as well. The first marks are often

seen on the fingers and hands of the diseased individual. They will usually have small

cuts, calluses, or blisters where the teeth rub against the skin while inducing vomiting.

The face will generally get swollen, particularly around the jaw line and where the glands

in the neck begin. Capillaries in the cheek soften rupture due to frequent vomiting. Ulcers

form