Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia Nervosa

Eating disorders and psychological issues are increasing with every passing day. Leading a hectic lifestyle along with adhering to social norms can disturb the work-life balance inducing stress. Bulimia Nervosa is one such disorder that shakes a person’s sense of worth and self-confidence.
Read on to learn more about what is bulimia nervosa, bulimia nervosa causes, what are the symptoms of bulimia nervosa and how is bulimia nervosa treated.

What is Bulimia Nervosa?

Bulimia Nervosa also referred to as Bulimia, is an eating disorder. It is categorised as a mental health condition which has a severe impact on the organs of a body, especially the digestive system. If left unchecked, this disorder can be life-threatening for some people.
It is characterized by a severe obsession with food and weight, negatively impacting the physical and emotional well-being of an individual. People suffering from the problem binge eat aggressively in a very short period. The episode is followed by removing it from the system by inducing vomiting or diarrhoea.

What’s the difference between bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa?

The main difference between the two disorders is that bulimia nervosa involves binge eating episodes followed by intentionally purging oneself to lose weight. Anorexia nervosa, on the other hand, is about restricting diet and restricting calorie intake for weight loss despite having the ideal figure.
Statistics and Facts
An estimated 2-3% of the Indian population is suffering from eating disorders. Young women are at the highest risk as 7.8% of adolescent girls are already suffering from an eating disorder.

Common Myths and Misconceptions

Myth 1: Bulimia Nervosa has more to do with vanity so it affects young girls more than boys.
Fact 1: No. Bulimia Nervosa is a psychological disorder and an eating disorder. An individual’s sense of worth and confidence is completely shaken which goes beyond vanity and looks attractive.

Myth 2: Bulimia Nervosa is not as dangerous as anorexia nervosa.
Fact 2: False. If this disorder is not diagnosed at the right time and a patient does not consult a professional mental health expert immediately, he or she may consider commuting suicide. There is a lot of stress on the internal organs due to forceful vomiting and flushing out good which can be detrimental to the overall health of a patient.

Myth 3: Having bulimia nervosa is normal when a person is young. Also, it treats itself as a person grows old.
Fact 3: False. Bulimia Nervosa is a serious condition which must be checked as soon as the symptoms start showing. Chances of not recovering from this disorder without a professional are very low which can cause further distress on mental health.

Types of Bulimia Nervosa

• Purging Bulimia: Patients suffering from purging bulimia abuse laxatives and diuretics. They deliberately throw up the food consumed to reduce the calories.
• Non-Purging Bulimia Patients diagnosed with non-purging bulimia exercise aggressively and immediately after having a meal to burn calories. Some patients fast endlessly after having a hearty meal which hurts their mood and behaviour.

What Causes Bulimia Nervosa?

• Unrealistic beauty standards set by the media are one of the main reasons patients are obsessed with their looks and figures.
• Behavioural influences like people who are leading a stressful life are more susceptible to this disorder than others. Since the mind and gut are connected, stress often disturbs the digestive system which people tend to eat carelessly.
• Cultural factors play a major role. In certain societies, people who look lean and petite are considered better-looking than those who are healthier.
• Genes also contribute to this problem. So people who have ancestors who suffered from this problem are more susceptible to this disorder than others.

What Are The Signs and Symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa?

Here are the most common signs and symptoms of bulimia nervosa:

• Patients live with a constant fear of gaining weight. They frame a routine which includes excessive exercise and misusing laxatives to purge.
• Patients experience episodes of binge eating which includes consuming unreasonably large amounts of food.
• Deliberately vomiting and exercising excessively to avoid dangerous weight gain are observed among patients.
• Patients are preoccupied with the shape of the body and are often dissatisfied. They develop low self-esteem and have a low sense of self-worth.
• Owing to self-induced vomits, patients harm their oesophagus and experience acid reflux. Therefore, they spoil their gut health, experiencing mood swings which are due to gastric issues.
• Other obvious bulimia nervosa symptoms and signs are tooth decay, having bloodshot eyes, fainting and constipation. Women experience lighter blood flow during periods and muscle weakness.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of bulimia nervosa can be difficult as it is a complex condition. The disorder is influenced by medical, nutritional and behavioural factors.
Clinically, the disorder is diagnosed when the binge-purge cycle occurs at least once a week for three months regularly. Psychiatrists examine the emotions felt by a person after the patient has eaten. Intense shame and distress are often experienced by people.
Lab tests like scabs of various parts of the digestive system, physical examination and psychic evaluation determine an individual’s condition.

Bulimia Nervosa Treatment Options

CBT aims to train an individual to identify those particular negative thoughts that caused the problem in the first place. Psychiatrists make the patient think about all the negative thoughts associated with food, their body image and self-esteem. Techniques used under this bulimia nervosa treatment are:

• Exposure Therapy: With the help of this therapy, a patient is exposed to feared food situations. The psychiatrist records the response of the patient and works on normalizing this relationship between food and the patient. The aim is to diminish avoidance patterns and build confidence.
• Cognitive Restructuring: Patients are encouraged to recognise distorted thoughts they possess about food, their body image and self-worth. The process aims to rid the patient of the binge-purge cycle and replace the negative thought pattern with a more positive one.
• Self-Monitoring: Patients are trained to keep a check on their eating habits and manage their emotional triggers smartly. Certain techniques like maintaining a diary or using a calorie-counting app are required so that the patient is independent. This technique is most useful when it comes to preventing relapse and assessing the progress of the treatment.
• Family-Based Treatment: Family-based psychotherapy is a comprehensive treatment plan in which family and friends of patients are counselled. Parents and partners are encouraged to monitor the patient's progress and resolve conflicts cordially. Weight restoration monitoring is another technique by which an individual regains the original physical health and weight to focus solely on mental health.
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT): One of the most effective therapies, DBT treats a patient to change his or her behaviours by practising mindfulness and reducing impulsive eating. The emotional quotient of a patient is worked on so that he or she can manage stress. Interpersonal communication is checked which redefines boundaries in relationships. Progress is tracked at all times and grounding exercises are tried to manage the urge to binge or purge.
• Medication: There is no particular medication to treat this disorder. However, mental health experts and physicians prescribe medicines to cure symptoms like heartburn, acidity, weakness and other digestion issues. Patients who develop anxiety are prescribed anti-psychotic drugs and anti-depressants so that they can focus on healing themselves internally.

Living with Bulimia Nervosa

• Patients must seek medical help as soon as possible. There is no shame in seeking therapy so delay in treatment is strongly discouraged.
• On a more personal basis, patients must stick to a routine to make sure the chances of relapse are minimal. A timetable for meals can be made after consulting a professional nutritionist.
• Build a strong support system and stay in close contact with your family. Friends play a major role in victory, so make sure they are around you at all times.
• Practice self-care as much as possible. Take care of your skin, and your hair. Exercise regularly as it increases the oxygen supply to the brain.
• Avoid social media and take advice from self-proclaimed gurus as they can be misleading. Make sure you go to a professional mental health expert.
• Celebrate small victories so that recovery seems faster and smoother. Always keep your guide and your family posted.

How to Support Loved Ones

• Never ignore their concerns and address every query seriously. By doing so, patients will feel empathised with and share their concerns honestly.
• Provide them with highly nutritional foods so that their physical and mental well-being are top-notch. This makes recovery better and wholesome.
• Assure them that they are looking good and that their body is perfect. Counsel them that unnecessarily clouding their mind with doubt will not do them any good.
• Encourage open communication so that they can converse with the therapist properly. This will motivate them and encourage them to feel better about their personality.
• A patient is an insecure person who could be scared, anxious and emotional. Therefore, do not judge any action or pass comment on their appearance when they ask any question regarding their outlook.

Jagruti Treatment and Recovery

• Inpatient or Residential Programs
  Patients suffering from severe bulimia nervosa might have to get admitted so that they stay under constant supervision. The nursing staff at Jagruti Rehab Centre is trained to keep a close watch on patients, check their vitals continuously and make sure that they eat the most nutritional food at all times.
• Outpatient Programs
  For those who cannot afford to spend days as residential patients, Jagruti Rehab Centre offers treatment online. Psychiatrists are flexible enough to arrange bi-weekly or more sessions with patients who are working, studying or are busy elsewhere. This program is as comprehensive as in-patient treatment programs as patients can consult nutritionists and physicians at the facility for a complete health check-up.
• Provision of Diet Chart
  Nutritionists play a major role in recovering from bulimia nervosa. Once the psychiatrist has understood the cause of the disorder and knows the reason for insecurity in a patient, nutritionists draw a diet chart that is low in calories, rich in nutrients and would maintain a healthy body weight. They also include food items that would heal the body internally and aid recovery from digestive issues.
• Post-Treatment Care
  Relapse prevention is an essential procedure that many rehab centres tend to ignore. However, mental health experts at Jagruti Rehab Centre ensure that post-treatment counselling sessions are held regularly whether online or offline. They analyse the emotional balance of a patient and discover the new habits adopted by patients to prevent relapse.
• Family Sessions
  Family sessions are organised regularly to keep them posted about their patient’s condition. They are counselled as to how they should behave around the patient, what kind of food they must eat and how to prevent the condition from worsening.
• 24/7 Care and Service
  Hygienic living conditions, fresh nutritional meals and round-the-clock service play a major role in the recovery of patients. The management allows flexibility with payments and promises proper security to patients. CCTV cameras are installed in every corner of the facility and the privacy of the personal information of patients is ensured at all times.