1. Liceo Scientifico Francesco Redi
BULIMIA
Teacher: Elisa Vannuccini Student: Caterina Mazzeo

2. What is bulimia nervosa?
Bulimia is a serious psychiatric illness, an eating disorder in which the person regularly binge-eats and then tries to compensate for that by vomiting and/or using laxatives.

3. Types of bulimia
There are two common types of bulimia nervosa, which are as follows:
Bulimia nervosa purging type;
Bulimia nervosa non-purging type.

4. What are the causes?
Scientists and experts are not sure what the exact causes of bulimia nervosa are. They all agree that it is a result of a combination of environmental and genetic factors.
Genetics;
Being bullied;
Victims of abuse;
Traumatic/stressful life events;
Having mental health problems;
Low self-esteem;
Professions or activities that focus on appearance/performance.

5. What are the signs and the symptoms?
The typical warning signs of bulimia are:
Depression;
Anxiety;
Having a distorted, excessively negative body image;
Preoccupation body shape and weight;
Social isolation.
A person suffering from bulimia engages in episodes of bingeing and purging.

6. Signs of bingeing
Eating much more food in a binge episode than in a normal meal or snack;
Feeling that eating can’t be controlled once a binge begins;
Hiding or hoarding food;
Making excuses for missing food, or money taken to pay for binge foods;
Eating until the point of physical discomfort or pain.

7. Signs of Purging They include:
Habitually going to the bathroom immediately after eating or during meals;
Damaged teeth and gums;
Swollen salivary glands in the cheeks;
Persistent sores in the throat and mouth;
Sores, scars or calluses on the knuckles or hands caused by self-induced vomiting;
Scratchy or raspy voice quality;
Misuse of ipecac syrup to induce vomiting.

8. Symptoms
In a man or woman with signs of bulimia, symptoms of increasing physical damage from the disease may include:
Abnormal bowel functioning;
Bloating;
Dehydration;
Fainting;
Fatigue;
Dry skin;
Irregular heartbeat;
Menstrual irregularities or loss of menstruation (amenorrhea);
Tingling in the hands or feet;
Muscle cramps.

9. The effects of bulimia on the body

10. Treatment Treatment for bulimia nervosa usually includes:
Admit you have a problem;
Talk to someone;
Stay away from people, places, and activities that trigger the temptation to binge or purge;
Seek professional help to break the binge-purge cycle, to improve negative thoughts and to resolve emotional issues.