What Is Bulimia Nervosa? A Guide For Teens
- Riley F, Elizabeth E, Parmida T & Michael N.
- Apr 7
- 6 min read
Do you ever feel guilty about eating? Do you obsess over your weight, even though everyone else thinks you look completely fine? Do you ever overeat, but then secretly throw up in the bathroom right after? If so, then you may be suffering from Bulimia Nervosa. Don’t worry, though, because you’re NOT alone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Bulimia affects about 0.9% of adolescents, 1.5% of women, and 0.5% of men” (National Institute of Mental Health, 2023). In this blog, we are going to discuss the symptoms, risk factors, and causes of bulimia nervosa. Then, we will discuss treatments for those who are suffering from it.
What is Bulimia Nervosa?
Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder where someone goes through cycles of binge-eating followed by extreme actions to “make up” for the amount of food they’ve eaten. Binge-eating involves quickly consuming large quantities of food. Teens experiencing bulimia often describe feeling as though they cannot control how much food they are eating. To counteract this, they may do things like throw up, skip meals, exercise excessively, or misuse drugs like laxatives (McCallum Place, 2024).
One tricky thing with bulimia nervosa, is that teens struggling with this usually stay within a normal body weight (National Institute, n.d.). However, they may fear gaining weight and feel unhappy with their bodies (National Institute, n.d.). This makes it even harder to notice if someone is struggling with the disorder.
How Does Bulimia Nervosa Affect Your Life?
Bulimia Nervosa can begin in adolescence as early as the age of 12 years old. However, it is more often experienced at ages 18 and 19. Around 1-2% of teenage girls and 0.1-0.3% of teenage boys are diagnosed with this disorder. Bulimia is usually under reported, so the chances of you or someone you know experiencing this disorder may be higher than you think (Evolve Counseling, 2024).
If you or someone you care about is struggling with bulimia nervosa, it is important to recognize how serious it can be. The effects of bulimia are not just physical, but mental as well. Physically, bulimia can cause heart problems, weakened bones, damage to the digestive system, infertility, dehydration, and dental problems. Mentally, it is common to experience depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. These struggles can also affect the social life of teens who might pull away from friends or situations where there are people (Better Health, 2013).
Examples of Symptoms
Do you think that you, or somebody you know, may have this condition? If you see these symptoms then go to our “Treatment Options” section on this blog to see what you can do, or call a professional to get some personalized advice.
Here is the list of symptoms (McCallum Place, 2024):
Frequent binge eating episodes
Binge eating means, eating much more food than most people would eat in a certain time frame, and feeling a lack of self control over the amount of food you eat during each binge eating session.
● Continuous use of extreme weight loss methods (making yourself throw up, laxatives, excessive fasting, excessive exercise, diet pills, etc.)
● Binge eating and use of extreme weight loss methods happen at least once a week for at least 3 months.
● Self-evaluation is heavily influenced by body shape/weight.
Risk Factors
How do you know if you, or somebody you know, is at risk for developing this condition? Who is more at risk? Certain traits have shown higher risk in developing this disorder, and by knowing this, you might be able to stop a problem before it happens. There are some factors that show who is most at risk of developing Bulimia Nervosa (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.).
● Having family members with eating disorders or mental health issues.
● Caring a lot about your body image.
● Being female.
● Having depression or anxiety.
● Being an adolescent, or older.
Neural Basis
Here is a list of the key brain areas involved in Bulimia Nervosa (Broft et al., 2011):
The Hypothalamus
The hypothalamus helps regulate things like hunger, thirst, and body temperature. It plays a big role in telling your brain when you’re hungry or full. In people with Bulimia, the hypothalamus might not work in the way it should, leading to a messed-up sense of hunger or fullness. This can make someone feel like they need to binge eat even if their body isn’t actually hungry
The Prefrontal Cortex
This is the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, self-control, and planning. It helps you think about the consequences of your actions before you do them.
The Amygdala
This is the part of your brain that deals with emotions, like fear, anxiety, and stress. It helps you react to situations based on your feelings. It is the threat detector; it might fire more than usual in situations where you think you may have gained weight, making you want to deal with “threat” by purging.
Treatment Options
If you or someone you know is suffering from Bulimia Nervosa, it is important for you to know that there are treatments option that can help (Worcester, 2004).
Talk Therapy
One of the best ways to start healing is through therapy, especially Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). In therapy, you'll talk to someone trained to help you work through your thoughts and feelings. CBT helps you understand the patterns that lead to binge eating and purging and teaches you healthier ways to deal with emotions and stress.
Nutritional Counseling
Working with a nutritionist can help you understand how to fuel your body the right way. They’ll help you learn about healthy eating habits and how to stop the cycle of restricting food or overeating. It’s about finding a balance and making sure your body gets what it needs to stay strong and healthy.
Support Groups
Sometimes, talking to people who’ve been through the same thing can make all the difference. Support groups bring people together to share their stories, challenges, and victories. It helps to know you're not alone, and it can be empowering to hear how others have worked through similar struggles.
Medication
In some cases, doctors may recommend medication, like antidepressants, to help balance brain chemicals that affect mood and impulse control. This can make it easier to manage anxiety, depression, and other emotions that contribute to eating disorders.
Closing
Living with bulimia nervosa can be mentally and physically draining, but there are a multitude of resources that can help ease the struggles, such as therapists, nutritionists, certain medications, and even family and friends. If you or someone you know is suffering from bulimia, make sure to tell a trusted adult and remind them that their disorder does not define who they are. Remember that you are amazing and you are loved!
Call-to-Action
Have you had experience with bulimia nervosa? Do you know somebody who has? We encourage you to share your stories with us and with others who may benefit from hearing other’s experiences. Whether you have stories you want to share, comments to make, or questions about this topic, go to our comment section to learn more!
If you or someone you know is struggling with bulimia, it is important to take action. If you are struggling with this disorder, reaching out for help is the first step toward healing. Recovery is possible, no matter where you’re at. And remember, you do not have to go through this alone. You can contact the National Eating Disorders Helpline at (800) 931-2237 or text “NEDA” to 741741 for assistance if you live in the United States (CHOC, 2023).
You can contact the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 for assistance if you live in Canada (CMHA Ontario, n.d.). It is a confidential service available at all times of the day (CMHA Ontario, n.d.).
References
Better Health Channel (2013). Bulimia nervosa.
Broft, A. I., Berner, L. A., Martinez, D., & Timothy Walsh, B. (2011). Bulimia nervosa
and evidence for striatal dopamine dysregulation: A conceptual review: The Neural Basis
of Feeding and Reward: A Tribute to Bart Hoebel. Physiology & Behavior, 104(1), 122–127.
CHOC (2023). Eating Disorders - CHOC - Children's health hub.
Cleveland Clinic. “Bulimia Nervosa: Signs & Symptoms, Complications & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, 16 May 2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9795-bulimia-nervosa.
CMHA Ontario (n.d.). Mental Health.
Evolve Counseling Services (2024). How Common is Bulimia Nervosa? Exploring
Prevalence Among Adults and Adolescents.
McCallum Place Eating Disorder Center (2024). McCallum Place: DSM 5 Diagnostic Criteria for Eating Disorders. https://www.mccallumplace.com/admissions/dsm-5-diagnostic-criteria/#:~:text=Bulimia%20Nervosa&text=Eating%20large%20amounts%20of%20food,a%20week%20for%20three%20months.
National Institute of Mental Health (n.d.). Eating Disorders.
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