e eating followed by purging the body "of the excess calories by vomiting, abusing laxatives or diuretics, taking enemas, or exercising obsessively. Some use a combination of all these forms of purging" (Hoffman, 1994, p. 3). The third group are binge eaters who engage in episodes of uncontrolled eating without purging (Hoffman, 1994, p. 1).
Hoffman (1994) reports that bulimics typically consume huge amounts of food, often junk food, to reduce stress and relieve anxiety; with binge eating, however, comes guilt and depression. Since bulimics practice their eating behaviors secretly and tend to maintain a normal or above normal body weight, they can often hide their eating disorder for years. Some purge only once or twice a week (others several times a day), which makes identifying the disease difficult. Stringent dieting between episodes of bingeing and purging is also common. Embarrassed and ashamed, bulimics typically do not seek help until they reach their thirties or forties.
The bulimic is doing great harm to her (a
...