Bulimia nervosa is a disorder that involves eating large amounts of food and then getting rid of it by vomiting or through the use of laxatives, diuretics, or diet pills. Some bulimics also purge after a binge by fasting for days or by exercising for hours.

Like anorexia, bulimia often begins with a diet. But the dieter soon feels deprived and panicky. She/he turns to food for comfort. Overeating helps the anorexic stuff down his/her feelings of anxiety, depression, anger or loneliness.

The binge is followed by guilt at his/her loss of control and fear of getting fat. Bingeing is usually followed by desperate attempts to get rid of the food just eaten, but purging leaves the teen with bulimia still hungry. The vicious binge/purge cycle begins again. This becomes a routine that is hard to interrupt.

At first, overeating and then purging seems like a perfect way to satisfy food cravings without paying the price. But it soon turns into a shameful obsession. The bulimic, afraid that others will think his/her habit disgusting, becomes furtive and fearful of discovery. The bulimic may spend more and more time alone, sometimes going through the binge-purge cycle several times a day.

The Hidden Affliction. People with bulimia often maintain close to normal weights. They often go through their binges and purges in private, so the condition may be hard to detect.

The typical bulimic is especially concerned with how others see him/her. The bulimic is emotionally insecure and lacks confidence. The individual feels she/he lives behind a façade: competent and attractive on the outside, but inept and disgusting underneath. Dieting begins as a way to feel better about him/herself and to win approval from others.

Bulimia tends to begin in the teen years and often continues into adulthood.