Causes of Bulimia

Eating disorders are some of the most dangerous ways to lose weight. There is a common misconception that all eating disorders leave the person extremely thin and so, it is easy to tell those who are suffering from them. However, some disorders such as bulimia, are not so easy to spot and the person can go for years with this disorder. As with any eating disorder, if you suspect someone is suffering from one, it is important to make sure they get the help the need, as it could end up saving their life.

A person suffering from bulimia does not have any control over the amount of food they eat. It is characterized by binging and eating as much as you can at a particular time. After they have eaten, they may feel ashamed of themselves and they will force themselves to throw up or purge. This dangerous pattern of binging and purging may be caused by a lack of control in the person’s life. Generally a traumatic event can cause this feeling of no control such as the death of a loved one, beginning school or moving. Being able to establish this control by eating allows the person to cope with these changes.

As with any eating disorder, the cause will vary depending on the person. There is no medical cause of bulimia, but it most likely begins with an initial feeling of worthlessness or poor body image. It is most important to remember that every person suffering from bulimia is different and every case is caused by something different. Unfortunately, treating someone with bulimia is not as simple as looking at statistics, there is much more to treating them.

There are some causes of bulimia that cannot be controlled by the person. Eating disorders can run in families, so those who have eating disorders directly in their families are more likely to develop it. There are also psychological factors such as depression or a chemical imbalance in the brain that can put a person at a higher risk for developing bulimia. Other causes such as sexual abuse can have severe damage on the person’s self esteem, which can also lead to bulimia.

Some of the biggest causes of bulimia are environmental. Hollywood, advertisements and peer pressure can all trigger bulimia. There are many pressures, especially for young women, to be thin and only those who are extremely thin can be successful and beautiful. There may be pressures from parents as well to remain thin, especially if the child is involved in activities that demand thinness such as ballet or gymnastics. 

It is important to remember that there is no definite cause of bulimia. Although every person is different, no matter what the cause, if someone is suffering from bulimia, or any other eating disorder, they need help as soon as possible.