Bulimia is an eating disorder that stems from a loss of control over eating habits and a longing to stay thin. Many people associate the condition with throwing up ...10FactsAboutBulimiaMedicallyreviewedbyNatalieButler,R.D.,L.D.—WrittenbyKristeenCherney—UpdatedonAugust15,2018Bulimiaisaneatingdisorderthatstemsfromalossofcontrolovereatinghabitsandalongingtostaythin.Manypeopleassociatetheconditionwiththrowingupaftereating.Butthereismuchmoretoknowaboutbulimiathanthisonesymptom.Hereare10factsaboutbulimiatochangemisconceptionsyoumayhaveaboutthisdangerouseatingdisorder.1.It’srootedincompulsivehabits.Ifyouhavebulimiaoranothereatingdisorder,youmaybeobsessedwithyourbodyimageandgotoseveremeasurestoalteryourweight.Anorexianervosacausespeopletorestricttheircalorieintake.Bulimiacausesbingeeatingandpurging.Bingeingisconsumingalargeportionoffoodinashortperiodoftime.Peoplewithbulimiatendtobingeinsecretandthenfeelimmenseguilt.Thesearealsosymptomsofbingeeatingdisorder.Thedifferenceisthatbulimiaincludespurgingbybehaviorssuchasforcedvomiting,excessiveuseoflaxativesordiuretics,orfasting.Peoplewithbulimiamaycontinuetobingeandpurgeforawhile,andthengothroughperiodsofnoteating.Ifyouhavebulimia,youmayalsoexercisecompulsively.Regularexerciseisanormalpartofahealthylifestyle.Butpeoplewithbulimiamaytakethistotheextremebyexercisingforseveralhoursaday.Thiscanleadtootherhealthproblems,suchas:bodyinjuriesdehydrationheatstroke2.Bulimiaisamentaldisorder.Bulimiaisaneatingdisorder,butitcanalsobereferredtoasamentaldisorder.AccordingtotheNationalAssociationofAnorexiaNervosaandAssociatedDisorders(ANAD),eatingdisorderssuchasbulimiaarethemostfatalmentalconditionsintheUnitedStates.Thisfactisattributedtolong-termhealthproblems,aswellassuicide.Somepatientswithbulimiaalsohavedepression.Bulimiacancausepeopletofeelshameandguiltabouttheirinabilitytocontrolcompulsivebehaviors.Thiscanworsenpreexistingdepression.3.Societalpressurecanbeacause. Thereisnoprovencauseofbulimia.However,manybelievethere’sadirectcorrelationbet