Bulimia nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of bingeing and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced ...FacebookInstagramTwitterPinterestYouarehereHome/Learn/WhatareEatingDisorders?/InformationbyEatingDisorderBulimiaNervosaBulimianervosaisaserious,potentiallylife-threateningeatingdisordercharacterizedbyacycleofbingeingandcompensatorybehaviorssuchasself-inducedvomitingdesignedtoundoorcompensatefortheeffectsofbingeeating.DIAGNOSTICCRITERIAAccordingtotheDSM-5,theofficialdiagnosticcriteriaforbulimianervosaare:Recurrentepisodesofbingeeating.Anepisodeofbingeeatingischaracterizedbybothofthefollowing:Eating,inadiscreteperiodoftime(e.g.withinany2-hourperiod),anamountoffoodthatisdefinitelylargerthanmostpeoplewouldeatduringasimilarperiodoftimeandundersimilarcircumstances.Asenseoflackofcontrolovereatingduringtheepisode(e.g.afeelingthatonecannotstopeatingorcontrolwhatorhowmuchoneiseating).Recurrentinappropriatecompensatorybehaviorinordertopreventweightgain,suchasself-inducedvomiting,misuseoflaxatives,diuretics,orothermedications,fasting,orexcessiveexercise.Thebingeeatingandinappropriatecompensatorybehaviorsbothoccur,onaverage,atleastonceaweekforthreemonths.Self-evaluationisundulyinfluencedbybodyshapeandweight.Thedisturbancedoesnotoccurexclusivelyduringepisodesofanorexianervosa.WARNINGSIGNS&SYMPTOMSOFBULIMIANERVOSAEmotionalandbehavioral Ingeneral,behaviorsandattitudesindicatethatweightloss,dieting,andcontroloffoodarebecomingprimaryconcerns Evidenceofbingeeating,includingdisappearanceoflargeamountsoffoodinshortperiodsoftimeorlotsofemptywrappersandcontainersindicatingconsumptionoflargeamountsoffood  Evidenceofpurgingbehaviors,includingfrequenttripstothebathroomaftermeals,signsand/orsmellsofvomiting,presenceofwrappersorpackagesoflaxativesordiuretics Appearsuncomfortableeatingaroundothers Developsfoodrituals(e.g.eatsonlyaparticularfoodorfoodgroup[e.g.condiments],excessivechewing,doesn’tallowfoodstotouch) Skipsmealsortakessmal