The definitions and symptoms that are offered on this site are "textbook" definitions. You may not have all of the symptoms of a particular disorder, but still be suffering from it. Anyone at any weight can have an eating disorder. Don't fall into the misconception that a person must be underweight/overweight to be suffering. Eating disorders are not about food. They are about complex feelings and emotions that the sufferer is trying to deal with by using food. The textbook definitions are to aid physicians with diagnosis of behaviours rather than feelings.
Anorexia Nervosa: 1) Refusal to maintain a recommended body weight (below 85% of healthy weight). 2) Intense fear of gaining weight and becoming fat. 3) The absence of three consecutive menstrual cycles. 4) Distorted body image (i.e.. Convinced they are overweight/fat, when in fact they may be underweight.) 5) Measuring self-worth on body weight, and/or denial about the seriousness of the condition/ low body weight that they may be at.
Many people with Anorexia have a massive fear of being fat. Control often plays a large part in the disorder, with food being used because they feel unable to control other aspects of their life. Some feel that they do not deserve happiness, and will deprive themselves of things that bring this. Self hatred is also another common factor, with sufferers having a very low image of themselves and often finding it hard to accept love from others.
Bulimia Nervosa: 1) Recurrent episodes of binge eating. Binge eating involves eating a large amount of food in a fairly short period of time, and a sense of lack of control during. 2) Compensatory behaviour in order to prevent weight gain, such as vomiting, exercise, misuse of medication, exercise etc. 3) This binge eating and behaviour occurring at least twice a week for 3 months. 4) Distorted body image.
People with Bulimia may use binge and purge episodes because they feel overwhelmed, and to punish themselves for things which they blame themselves for unrealistically. They may use these episodes to let out feelings of anger, depression, stress or anxiety. Purging may been seen as a way of releasing these emotions, but tends to lead to negative feelings afterwards. The binge periods are often followed by feelings of tremendous guilt and a feeling of lack of control over their eating behaviours.
There are many similarities between Anorexia and Bulimia, and the two are not as separate as some might think. On the surface, both appear as a dangerously obsessive weight concern, but for most sufferers there are much deeper emotional conflicts which need to be resolved. Some sufferers have a combination of these two conditions as periods of restriction tend to lead to episodes of bingeing and purging.
Visit Something Fishy for more in-depth details. You can find signs/symptoms of the disorders, as well as physical dangers and other information.
