Causes Of Bulimia
The Known Causes Of Bulimia
The causes of bulimia, unfortunately, are not completely set in stone. This disease most often starts as an accident. An individual coming off of an extremely restrictive diet or a stressful situation will binge eat for the comfort that it provides. Once the guilt or regret sets in, the individual induces vomiting to expel the food. When a person vomits, the body releases a natural bliss chemical known as endorphins. These give a rush of happiness and peace, and depending on the emotional state of the inducer, can cause an immediate attraction to the sensation felt just after vomiting.
Other causes of bulimia are thought to be genetic. When one is diagnosed and treated for bulimia, a full history screening is done of both the patient and their immediate family. All psychiatric evaluations are based on the same premise, which is link an existing disorder to the onset of bulimia. Those with family or independent history of social disorders, anxiety disorders, agoraphobia, panic attacks, depression, and personality disorders have been found to make up over 70% of the total number of people who suffer bulimia nervosa. These traits are treated by a number of different medications, each one prescribed for the severity of the disorder and the size of the patient. The medical community is trying to determine why bulimia befalls those who are prone to these illnesses, and what measures they can take to retard the process.
Among these other causes of bulimia, there are certain personality types who are believed to be more susceptible to the onset of endorphin addiction. Those who have social displacement issues based on an unhealthy infatuation with thinness have a spiked increase of probability to this disease. These types often obsess over the thin people, beating themselves up and becoming desperate to change their appearance. Even thin, healthy folks can fall victim to the beliefs that razor thin is better. This self image issue lends an enormous shove toward the initial onset of bulimia.
Substance abuse adds a staggering percentage of chance to ones predisposition to bulimia nervosa. An estimated 1 in 4 bulimia sufferers are substance abusers or alcoholics, and these numbers spell out a scary scenario. The medications which are usually administered to assist bulimics with their recovery are not recommended for substance abusers, making treatment a more difficult and rocky road. These medications can be used, but the medical and psychiatric repercussions are harder to deal with in those patients addicted to both endorphins and chemical substances. The trouble is now compounded, and recovery is made all the harder for the already suffering patient. Advances are made on a daily basis in the field of bulimia research, and more clear answers will be forthcoming.