Anorexia and Bulimia
Affects millions of individuals around the world.
The World Health Organization reported that, “In 2019, 14 million people experienced eating disorders including almost 3 million children and adolescents(WHO,2023)”.
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which the individual is severely underweight due to a distorted view of their weight.
What does that mean?
In a nutshell, people with this diagnosis tend to be obsessed with “staying in shape” by any means necessary. They tend to restrict food calories, exercise excessively, and induce vomiting.
Bulimia on the other hand is similar to anorexia, the only difference is that bulimia is associated with purging. The American Psychological Association defines Purging as “the activity of expelling food that has just been ingested, usually by vomiting or the use of laxatives (APA, 2023)”.
Bulimia – Nervosa usually entails the patient ingesting large amounts of food, and then inducing vomit. To make it easier to understand, a chart was created outlining the differences and similarities between both disorders.
| Anorexia | Similarities | Bulimia |
| Most common disorder | Both eating disorders
Weight loss
Affects mental, physical and social wellbeing.
Both life threatening
Associated with low self esteem |
Types: Purging Bulimia
Non- purging bulimia |
| Restricts food \ calorie intake | Induced vomiting | |
| Intense fear of gaining weight – will exercise excessively to reduce weight. | Consuming laxatives | |
| Source: (Gotter, 2018)
Gotter, A. (2018, September 18). Anorexia vs. bulimia: Differences, symptoms, and treatments. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/eating-disorders/anorexia-vs-bulimia
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A Life Threatening Disorder
Both eating disorders are life threatening, if not treated immediately.
Eating disorders can leave a lasting impact on your emotional and physical health.
The true cause of these disorders remains unknown, many believe that it’s a multifactor cause. Meaning that there are various factors that can contribute to Bulimia and Anorexia.
According to the Healthline website, “medical experts conclude that genetics, emotional well-being, and societal pressures are factors that contribute to these eating disorders (Gotter, 2018)”.
Treatment Options
You may be wondering what are some common treatment modalities for eating disorders. The Mayo Clinic notes the following as common treatment modalities for both Anorexia and Bulimia (Mayo Clinic, 2018) :
1. Hospitalization
2. Medical care
3. Restoring a healthy weight
4. Psychotherapy
5. Medications
Listed below are warning signs;
| Anorexia | Bulimia |
| Dramatic weight loss | Binge eating, consuming large amounts of food in short periods of time. |
| Dresses in layers to hide weight loss or stay warm. | Purging behaviors – frequent trips to the bathroom after meals, signs and/or smells of vomiting. |
| Preoccupation with weight, food, calories, fat grams, and dieting. | Drinks excessive amounts of water or non-caloric beverages, and/or uses excessive amounts of mouthwash, mints, and gum. |
| Unable to maintain an appropriate body weight. | Calluses on hands and knuckles from self- induced vomiting |
| Maintains an excessive exercise regime. | Dental problems: Enamel erosion, cavities, discoloration of teeth, and tooth sensitivity. |
| Source: (NEDA, 2017)
National Eating Disorders Association. (2017, February 26). Warning signs and symptoms. National Eating Disorders Association. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/anorexia/warning-signs-symptoms |
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Hospitalization is meant for the most severe cases of Anorexia and Bulimia
After living several years with a serious disorder, your body is unable to function properly. Meaning your vital organs are deprived of vital nutrients. You start to experience loss of muscle, loss of weight, dehydration, and kidney problems.
When diagnosed with an eating disorder, it is imperative that you are evaluated by a mental health care professional. This will enable the client to have a better understanding of the mental condition.
Most medical providers will recommend clients to see a nutritionist, so that they can learn proper nutrition. At this time there aren’t any medications that can treat eating disorders.
Your doctor may prescribe medications to treat the symptoms and supplemental vitamins to address vitamin deficiencies. Talk to your doctor or medical provider, if you have any concerns.
This post was written by Jasmine P., and published by Convenient Counseling Services.
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