The 4 types of bulimia and their characteristics

The bulimia It is one of the most well-known eating disorders, although some people mistake it for anorexia. Now, to understand well what its nature is it should be clarified that there are different types of bulimia, and not a homogeneous diagnostic category.

Next we will see what these types of bulimia are and what their characteristics are. But first, let's start with the basics.

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What is bulimia?

Bulimia is an eating disorder characterized by binge-eating and purging phases or compensatory behaviors. It is associated with strong emotional distress, damage to health and a behavioral dynamics based on impulsivity, since control over what he does is lost and projects are sacrificed in the long term simply by living in a spiral of binges and purges, moments of anxiety and strong sadness associated with a low self-esteem.

Unlike anorexia, bulimia usually appears between the ages of 18 and 25 and is also more typical of impulsive and addiction-prone people than perfectionists and planners.

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Phases of this disorder

The phases of bulimia are as follows:

1. Binge

It is eating a lot of food and drink to quench an urge. In addition, normally the foods that are eaten have a high caloric load. It appears abruptly and under a feeling of loss of control, since, among other things, it try to eat as much food in the shortest amount of time as possible, filling your mouth and chewing little.

The frequency with which these episodes occur is highly variable, and can range from once every several weeks to several times a day. This phase is common in all types of bulimia.

2. The purge and compensatory rituals

After the binge, a feeling of guilt appears and reactions aimed at preventing weight gain. Normally purging consists of making yourself vomit by putting your fingers in your mouth, but in certain cases it can consist of the use of laxatives. Compensatory behaviors, such as exercising a lot or trying to fast, are also common.

This "ritual" is believed to be a consequence of the cognitive dissonance generated by the conflict between ideas (I do not want to gain weight but I have binged) and by a history of contingencies for which this action has been reinforced.

3. Surveillance status

After these phases the person remains in a state of concern and vigilance, a stage associated with a feeling of discomfort. The state of vigilance contributes to feeding the rumination and to make recurring thoughts appear more frequently.

On the other hand, this condition causes attention to constantly return to the memory of experiences related to disorder, with which everything that is done appears conditioned by the way in which the person positions themselves before this trouble.

The types of bulimia

Having seen the main characteristics of the disorder, let's move on to the types of bulimia. Are two: purgative bulimia and non-purgative bulimia.

1. Bulimia purgative or purgative

This type of bulimia is characterized by being accompanied by a purging phase.

It is usually done in private, but it is not planned too much and it also obeys an impulse. In this case, it is a desperate attempt to reverse what has been done and return to the situation before the binge, although its effects They are also harmful, because stomach acids damage the cells in the tube that leads to the mouth and wears down the enamel of the teeth.

Another behavior that characterizes purgative bulimia is using diuretics and laxatives, something that also has its associated risks and in any case does not prevent a large part of the ingested calories from passing to the body.

2. Non-purgative bulimia

In this type of bulimia after the binge there is no purge, but a compensatory behavior. Unlike the other method, here it is assumed that what has been eaten will be processed by the digestive system, and therefore provoked vomiting is not used nor to diuretics or laxatives. However, actions are taken to offset that calorie intake, such as doing a lot of cardiovascular exercise or fasting for long periods.

The dangers related to non-nervous bulimia are, mainly, possible cuts in digestion, overuse of muscle groups or accidents cardiovascular diseases, as well as the danger of fasting for too many hours (more than 24 hours can be harmful) and / or becoming dehydrated from attempts to drink little and not have water by hand.

According to the degree of obesity

Bulimia can also be classified into two types according to the profile of the people who suffer it.

3. Bulimia associated with obesity

In these cases, the person is overweight to a greater or lesser degree, and feels bad about it. Your identity is already tied to that physical appearance, and that makes their self-esteem very low.

4. Bulimia associated with variable weight

In this type of bulimia, the body weight of the patients goes up and down as if it were a yo-yo. This means that many of these people can continue to believe that they do not have a problem that should be treated by professionals since, although they feel bad, their true identity is that of their version with less weight.

The fact of frequently seeing themselves with little volume and less fat makes them believe that this is "their essence" and that they will return to it at any time without therapeutic help. It is one of the types of bulimia most reluctant to cause a visit to the office of a doctor or psychologist.

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