Bulimia nervosa is a terrible disorder that affects many Americans each year. It’s a troubling psychological disorder which is often shrouded in mystery. There are a lot of myths out there about bulimia, and in order to help people who struggle with it, it’s important to understand what’s true and what isn’t. Here are some of the most common misconceptions about the illness.
Number Six: Bulimia Always Includes Vomiting
Although throwing up is often the method people use to purge when they have this disorder, it’s far from the only one. It’s also common for sufferers to use laxatives in order to purge food from their bodies.
Number Five: It Only Occurs in Women
Although the overwhelming majority of sufferers are female, there are men who struggle with this too. It’s possible that there are even more men with bulimia than we are aware of, but that they are not as open about it and it goes undocumented.
Number Four: It’s All About Weight
Although weight and appearance is a huge part of this particular obsession, it’s far from the only factor. This disorder can, many times, be the result of completely unrelated things. Eating disorders are about exercising control over your own life in what seems like the only possible way.
Number Three: You Can Tell Who Has It by Appearance
People assume that people with eating disorders all look a certain way, and that they all have sallow skin, unhealthy looking hair, and are severely underweight. This is not true at all; often times bulimia sufferers are a normal weight.
Number Two: Kids Who Have It Will Grow Out of It
You may assume that people going through this as a teenager or a young child are just experiencing a phase that will pass with time. Bulimia is a lifelong struggle, and even those who recover are always at a risk of going back to it.
Number One: It’s Not Life Threatening
People don’t always take bulimia as seriously as anorexia, but it is just as damaging and dangerous. Hopefully you found our article informative and educational. Thanks for reading.