Bulimia

By: Brandon S., Alina R., Kelly H.

What is Bulimia?

Bulimia is a type of eating disorder that is caused when a person eats a lot of food in a short amount of time and then tries to prevent weight gain by getting rid of the food. it's common especially amoung young women that have normal or nearly normal weight.  Bulimia's didnt originate at an exact place but it was first named and summurized by a British psychiatrist Gerald Russell in 1979

Signs and Symptoms

Some signs of bulimia are:

• Dehydration• Sever dental erosion•  Swollen checks• Skipping meals

Some symptoms of Bulimia are:• Depression• loss of self esteem •  Paleness of skin•  Electrolyte imbalance (can lead to cardiac arrest or

death)

Long Term Effects

     A healthy diet is very important.  Seeing a therapist is also helpful.  For the rest of their lives they will have to work towards being comfortable with their bodies. After a while, bulimics' nails will become brittle and their hair will get thinner.  They will look very unhealthy due to their lack of vitamins and nutrients.  In the long term of bulimia, bulimics will probably develop health problems and risk death if not treated.    

Short Term Effect

   .    Going to a treatment center could manage the problem.  A bulimic will always be struggling so the treatment will not stop after that.  A short term effect is losing weight.  Losing weight is usually the  reason bulimics become bulimic.  Self esteem will probably decrease too.

Treatment

• There are no real treatments for bulimia;  there are many ways to help it but the bulimic has to put in most of the work to be able to get better.

• One way of helping stop bulimia is to go to a help center.  This can help the patient stop their habit of binging and purging.  Therapists can help heal the mental and emotional effects that bulimia has on a person.  Some help center examples are:  Center for change, Victorian of Newport beach

• The diet of a bulimic is to binge on food and then purge themselves by self inducing vomitiong.  Recovering bulimics should eat a helthy diet that usually should not go under 1,600 calories per day.

Treatment (continued)

• Recovering bulimics should excercise regularly but not over excercise. 

• Medicines can be prescribed to recovering bulimics and are most likely used to higher the serotonin levels in the brain.

•  Family support is a very important factor for bulimics.  Self esteem is a large issue with bulimics so having a comfortable enviornment could play a key role in their recovery.

• The impact will change the relationship between the individual and family forever, but that doesnt mean that they can't resolve their problems.  The family will have to constantly help the bulimic with their self esteem and eating issues.

• The family will have to adjust their lifestyle for the bulimic.  They will have to learn more about the disease in order to help the bulimic. 

3 WOW's

• I learned that bulimia is a lot more dangerous than it seems. An example is what the acids in your stomach can do. They deteriorates the different layers of your stomach and make holes called ulcers. The acid in your stomach can also tear holes in your esophagus because it isn’t supposed to handle stomach acid. -Brandon

 • I learned that bulimia is more common in adolsecent girls and

young women and can affect people of practically any age. -Alina • I learned that bulimics will always be struggling with their sickness. 

I also learned that their are no real cures for bulimia, but pills can be taken to help raise the seratonin levels in the brain. -Kelly

BiblographyWorks Cited

"Bulimia Nervosa: Signs, Symptoms, Treatment, and Help." Helpguide.org: Expert, ad-free articles help empower you with knowledge, support & hope.. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Sept. 2011. <http://helpguide.org/mental/bulimia_signs_symptoms_causes_treatment.htm>."Diet Plans For Bulimia | LIVESTRONG.COM." LIVESTRONG.COM - Lose Weight & Get Fit with Diet, Nutrition & Fitness Tools. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Sept. 2011. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/278190>."Eating Disorder Treatment | Inpatient Eating Disorder Treatment | Center for Change." Eating Disorder Treatment | Inpatient Eating Disorder Treatment | Center for Change. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Sept. 2011. http://www.centerforchange.com/."Eating Disorder Treatment | Inpatient Eating Disorder Treatment | Center for Change." Eating Disorder Treatment | Inpatient Eating Disorder Treatment | Center for Change. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Sept. 2011. http://www.centerforchange.com/.

Biblography

"Eating Disorder Treatment- Top California Eating Disorders Rehab - The Victorian - California Eating Disorder Treatment Center." Eating Disorder Treatment- Top California Eating Disorders Rehab - The Victorian - California Eating Disorder Treatment Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Sept. 2011. <http://www.eatingdisordertreatment.com/>."Eating Disorders." Great Ideas in Personality--Theory and Research. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Sept. 2011. <http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/zodda.html>.Mickley, Diane, and  MD. "Bulimia and Anorexia Medication - Eating Disorders Medicine." Bulimia.com - Eating Disorders Resource for Recovery and Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Sept. 2011. <http://www.bulimia.com/client/client_pages/newsletteredt11.cfm>