Anorexia vs Bulimia
By Hailey Ng
When we think about eating disorders, for what we see online or in store displays, we imagine the people who have seemingly oversized clothes on their body, or the bony legs and arms—but eating disorders are more than that, more than what we can perceive to the naked eye, more than just one body type to conclude this whole mental disorder. People constantly confuse these two types—anorexia nervosa and bulimia. They may have very similar symptoms, but there are also different behaviours that distinguish the two.
Anorexia
Anorexia often occurs due to a distorted body image, leading to self-starvation. Studies have shown that the one-year prevalence of anorexia nervosa is 0.16% for females and 0.09% for males. (Deloitte Access Economics 2020) Many people believe that dieting excessively will help them feel better about their body, yet it transforms into something they believe that they are capable of controlling despite life changes. Below are some common symptoms that may signal anorexia:
severe weight loss
dehydration
cold hands or feet
hair thinning or breaking
dizziness or fainting
absence of menstruation
stomach pain or nausea
dry, yellowish skin
irregular heartbeat
There are tons of behavioural changes that could cause these physical changes, like constantly picking “safe-foods”, mostly low-calorie items, or body checking whenever possible, which may affect anorexics emotionally as well. Breakdowns that are out of control or irritation are both very common emotional responses that unravel from anorexic behaviours.
Bulimia
Bulimia does not involve starving oneself to stay thin, but a bulimic gets an uncontrollable urge to binge, which is eating a large amount of food in a short period of time. The actions they take afterwards categorises bulimics into two.
Purging bulimia: Someone with this type will induce vomiting or misuse laxatives after a binge.
Non-purging bulimia: Someone with this type will fast or excessively exercise after a binge.
One-year prevalence of bulimia nervosa is 0.32% for females and 0.05% for males. (Deloitte Access Economics 2020) Bulimics mostly are insecure about their body image, leading to dieting, but due to anxiety and other emotions, they get the urge to binge again, and causes an endless cycle of physical and emotional harm. Below are some common symptoms that may signal bulimia:
weight that increases and decreases in significant amounts
dehydration
sores or scars on knuckles from inducing vomiting
swollen lymph nodes
mouth sensitivity
damage to vital organs
There are a lot of behaviours that could cause these physical changes, like becoming secretive about food, or going to the bathroom right after eating, which affects bulimics’ emotional state. Social isolation or low self-esteem are both very common emotional responses that unravel from bulimic behaviours.
It is important to differentiate anorexia and bulimia, but obviously, they are both very serious disorders that would seriously harm one’s health. However, they are both treatable with help. Find the most appropriate treatment for your own situation and condition, so that you can heal properly and recover.
References
Deloitte Access Economics. The Social and Economic Cost of Eating Disorders in the United States of America: A Report for the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders and the Academy for Eating Disorders. June 2020. Available at:
