a.  True
b.  False

2. What is the average age of U.S. bulimics?

a.  13
b.  17
c.  21
d.  25

3. On average, how many calories are consumed during a bulimic’s binge?

a.  1,000-1,500 calories
b.  1,500-3,000 calories
c.  3,000-5,000 calories
d.  5,000+ calories

4. What percentage of bulimics (in the U.S.) are female?

a.  50 percent
b.  75 percent
c.  90 percent
d.  99 percent

5. What percentage of calories consumed are typically absorbed by the bulimic’s body after a vomiting purge?

a.  25 percent
b.  50 percent
c.  75 percent
d.  100 percent

6. What percentage of calories consumed are typically absorbed by the bulimic’s body after using diuretics as a purging method?

a.  25 percent
b.  50 percent
c.  75 percent
d.  100 percent

7. What is one well-known sign/symptom of bulimia?

a.  Puffy cheeks
b.  Distended stomach
c.  Bad breath
d.  All of the above

8. Bulimia does not occur simultaneously with anorexia.

a.  True
b.  False

9. Bulimia has been known to cause:

a.  Pancreatitis
b.  Dehydration
c.  Hemorrhoids
d.  All of the above

10. The onset of puberty can trigger bulimia.

a.  True
b.  False

Answers coming soon!  In the meantime, feel free to take our quiz on anorexia, located here!

Post from: Blisstree

How much do you know about bulimia? (a quiz)

For example, I was at the gym today.  Changing.  As I put on my shorts, a women in her late 40s/early 50s walked up to me.  When she was about a foot away from me, she said (very loudly), “And what are you?!?  A size zero or something?”  She wasn’t laughing, she wasn’t joking around.  She was… well… kind of mad. 

It was strange. 

Was she mad at me?  I wanted to tell her, “Hey, honey.  Chill.”  But instead I just shook my head in shock and answered, “No, I’m not.”  (And truth be told, I’ve never been a size zero, for the record.)

People with eating disorders know about this anger, I think.  Hey, try saying something totally laid back about anorexics or bulimics or binge eaters on a blog like Breaking the Mirror–the angry comments can often be brutal.  I’ve been called everything from a “wannarexic” to a “retard”.  It’s interesting.  And bizarre.

Anyway, I’ve come to the conclusion that the topic of weight and size infuriates people.  I’m not certain why, exactly, but it seems to make otherwise rational persons go nuts.

Thoughts?

Post from: Blisstree

Anger and eating disorders

Therefore, I suppose it shouldn’t be too surprising that plenty of women and men with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating turn to self-mutilation.

Don’t believe me? Just head to any pro-ana or pro-mia discussion board. (Or don’t – I wouldn’t want them to trigger any latent EDs.) The subject of “cutting” appears far more frequently than you might imagine.

I’ve tried to uncover figures to see how many anorexics, bulimics and binge eaters tend to “cut” or perform another self-injurious action. Here’s what I’ve found thus far:

• At CaringOnline the authors report that “…A study by Favazza and Conterio (1989) states that episodic and repetitive self-mutilation are frequently seen in conjunction with, or as a replacement for, eating disorders. In a study of 290 self-mutilating women, they found that 22% of the subjects suffered from only bulimia nervosa, 15% from anorexia nervosa and 13% from both disorders, for a total of 50%.”

• At MentalHelp.net, Allan Schwartz, Ph.D. states “…It is not unusual for some people suffering from eating disorders to engage in direct bodily self-harm in an attempt to reduce the emotional pain and suffering. The self-harm can occur in the form of cutting and self-mutilation with a razor, knife or any sharp instrument.”
• TroubledTeen101 claims “…because teens who self-injure or self-mutilate often do not know how to ask for help, it is important to watch for some of these signs that a teen may be harming him or herself, or is at risk for doing so:… Unexplained injuries, such as cuts, scratches, burns, bruises, etc.;… A history of eating disorders…”

When I was at my worst, I never cut, but I would sometimes hit my thighs as hard as I could just to FEEL something besides the agony of loneliness and depression.

Does this whole connection between eating disorders and self-harm resonate with you?

Post from: Blisstree

On the “cutting” edge of eating disorders

Sarah, a commenter, had this to say.  It really impressed me… especially the last bit about commodes:

I was just thinking about this. I have had quite the history with bulimia and while I have mostly overcome it, last week I had gastroenteritis. While sick I made myself throw up multiple times because it made me feel better. I did a lot of thinking about WHY it made me feel better, and when my throat started hurting today (a week after the itis started) I got to thinking about all the germs I introduced to my throat by purging.

While I was actively bulimic (are we ever NOT actively eating disordered?) I never thought about this stuff – but my toilet was the cleanest on the block.

I never considered that bulimics probably have a habit of cleaning their toilets fastidiously.  But it would make perfect sense.  Who wants to have splatters around the rim?  And wouldn’t they be tell-tale signs of bingeing and purging?

Post from: Blisstree

This week’s favorite comment: Bulimics and clean commodes

Let me preface this post by telling you that I’m not a germaphobe. Far from it. I don’t get too grossed out by a messy house. If a potato chip falls on the floor, I casually brush it off and happily eat it. But the more I thought about the subject I’m about to bring up, the more it gave me a case of the good old-fashioned willies.

Here goes:

Every time you stick your fingers down your throat, you are introducing millions of germs into your body. Some of these germs are probably present anyway, of course. But there must be some that shouldn’t be wiped on your sensitive throat and mouth tissues, right? Even if you diligently wash your hands before purging, you could be infecting yourself with a nasty strain of god knows what.

Um. Ew.

It’s no wonder people who purge have more colds, sore throats, viruses, you name it. I used to think it was because they were irritating their esophagi or they were just too run down to fight off diseases. Now, I’m beginning to rethink that assessment. Maybe part of the problem is that any germs on their hands or fingers lands smack dab in their throats.

Truly, I never thought about this before, probably because I’ve had difficulty with anorexia, not bulimia. (And I’m not suggesting that bulimics are “worse” than anorexics; we all have disturbing elements to consider thanks to our eating disorders. This is just one of those elements I hadn’t mused about previously.)

So… am I alone in thinking about this weird topic? Is it something you’ve mulled over, too?

Post from: Blisstree

A wretched reality regarding self-induced retching

Here are three that I just don’t think most people know about:

1.  Financial Woes.  Bulimics will spend quite a bit of money on their binges.  They’ll max out their credit cards to feed their addiction, if need be. 

2.  Career Instability.  Many anorexics and bulimics eventually enter a sort of “career burnout” mode.  Though most are labeled “model employees” or perfectionists, they eventually come to a point where they have to decide between the eating disorder and their job.  For many, the ED wins.

3.  Loss of Support Network.  We always suggest using a support network if you’re trying to recover from an eating disorder, but the truth could easily be that bridges have been burnt, perhaps beyond repair.  Lying and (in some cases) theft do happen and they can destroy otherwise strong relationships.

What have I missed?

Post from: Blisstree

Three Rarely Discussed Aspects of Eating Disorders

Post from: Blisstree

Top Eight Ways to Be an Eating Disorders Recovery Advocate

You see, I always assumed that it was because anorexics starved themselves to death and bulimics purged their bodies to the point where a heart attack or stroke was inevitable. 

But that’s not necessarily the case.

Instead, it seems many women and men with eating disorders die from suicide.  Many suffer from undiagnosed conditions, like depression and bipolar disorder… and without proper medications and/or therapy, they take their own lives.

This article from Psychiatry Online delves into the connection between suicide and EDs a bit deeper.

Eating disorders cannot live in a vacuum.  If you’re suffering from one, chances are that you’re suffering from other psychological ailments, too.  I know that I’m given to bouts of OCD and depression; I’m sure they’ve had a lot to do with my 20+ years of body image problems.

I urge you — if you have suicidal thoughts, please take advantage of any of the following hotlines.  Then, call a physician and start on the path to recovery.

There is life after Ana and Mia.  I promise. 

SUICIDE HOTLINES (U.S. only — feel free to let me know of your nation’s hotline and I’ll add it to the list):

• 1-800-SUICIDE
• 1-800-273-TALK
• 1-800-799-4TTY (hearing impaired hotline)

Post from: Blisstree

Anorexia, bulimia and suicide

I’ve read many times in “information sheets” that this is a tell-tale sign (duh!), but it seems to me that whenever I read real bulimics’ blogs or writings, they do their best to cover up the odor. 

If I were bulimic, I’d be carrying around mints and hand sanitizer, I think.  But I really don’t know much about it… can someone give me the down and dirty facts?

Post from: Blisstree

Smells like teen… vomit?

The link shows a pic of Courtney looking quite skinny.  Truly, she does look pretty sick.  But is this a case of the media just being a pack of dogs?  Do they really give a damn about what happens when they show pics of a troubled woman?  Do they even realize (or care) that they may be encouraging anorexics and bulimics everywhere to emulate the thinness?

Now, I don’t know if Love is anorexic.  She’s obviously not eating right now.  But what kills me is that if she gains 20 pounds, the papparazzi will be all over her a&*, talking about how she’s “ballooned up” and has cellulite.

Post from: Blisstree

Does dishing about anorexia and thinspiration in celebs make it “cool”?