Running Head: BULIMIA NERVOSA 1

BULIMIA NERVOSA
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Bulimia nervosa share several similarities and commonalities with other eating disorder such as
anorexia nervosa, other food disorders include; body image disorder, avoidant food intake, binge, and
phobia of food. This is becoming common among individuals and share similarities with bulimia and
anorexia disorder. Anorexia is when an individual is fearful of becoming obese, resulting in less intake of
food which leads to weight loss of an individual. They see themselves as overweight even when they are
underweight. This makes it a serious eating disorder with high mortality rate compared to any other
disorder. On the other hand, bulimia is when an individual takes in food but forces herself or himself to
vomit it for fear of becoming fat (Wilson, & Sysko, 2009). Other eating disorders have commonalities
with bulimia which include; extreme exercise, enforced vomiting, fasting, diuretics, and purges.
Additionally, when anorexia nervosa individuals who are underweight engage in a behavior purging and
bingeing, the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa surpasses that of bulimia. Both in bulimia and anorexia
nervosa individuals focus on weight loss through excessive exercise or to prevent gaining of weight
(commonalities) as outlined in American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

However, bulimia can be differentiated from other eating disorder. This involves recurrent intake episode
of binge eating disorder coupled with compensatory behavior, for example vomiting to prevent an
increase in weight (Fairburn & Cooper, 2007). That is bulimia is referred to as binge eating, ox hunger or
voracious appetite. Diagnosis of bulimia requires per week at least two binges for at least three months.
Binge is usually initiated by stress, which involves characteristically taking in high calorie, and food that is
easily ingested in a short period. An individual feels out of control during a binge and may consume
2000-4000 calories; this binge ends when an individual becomes uncomfortably full or falls asleep.
Frequently the vomiting follows the binge, either by allowing it or terminating it.

Thoughts, feelings, and behavior

Bulimia nervosa can involve a complex interplay between thoughts, feeling, and behavior. These factors
work together to influence Tracy's altering restricted intake of food and binge eating behaviors. She
believed that she could not do better because she was not able to change her eating behavior. Tracy's
was not able to monitor herself. Additionally, she was also unable to begin a regular pattern of eating
which was embracing to her. In the process, she ended up lying to the group leader that she had too
much work. Therefore, she couldn't attend the meeting. How an individual thinks affects individual
actions since it is the mind that controls an individual in his or her diurnal action. Consequently, it may
initiate negative behaviors because of the feelings that are uncontrolled (Kaye, 2008).

The therapist believes that when an individual is upset extremely, she may not be mindful that certain
thought could have produced an emotional state that is negative. Tracy was uncommitted to the
treatment program since her feelings and thoughts did not promote positive behavior. Her purging and
binge eating behavior remained unchanged. Thoughts can bring about depression and later own an
individual might feel frustrated and disappointed for not being able to change his or her behavior like
Tracy. She doubted herself, which is she was not sure of eating normally like the rest of the people.
Thoughts affect behavior, Tracy stops monitoring herself completely, and she was not able to follow even
the simplest regular eating habit. She was engaging in binge eating at purging just like before she
committed herself to the group. This promotes guilt and shame to a person by initiating a feeling of
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failure (feeling of giving up). Interrupting the chain that leads from distorted, self-deprecating thoughts
to negative feelings and bingeing and purging behavior is needed as stated American Psychiatric
Association (2013).
Reference

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders

(DSM-5®). American Psychiatric Pub.

Fairburn, C. G., Cooper D Phil, Dip Psych, Z., Doll D Phil, H. A., O’Connor, M. E., Bohn D

Phil, Dip Psych, K., Hawker, D. M., ... & Palmer, R. L. (2009). Transdiagnostic

cognitive-behavioral therapy for patients with eating disorders: a two-site trial with a 60-

week follow-up. American Journal of Psychiatry, 166(3), 311-319.

Kaye, W. (2008). Neurobiology of anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Physiology & behavior, 94(1),

121-135.

Wilson, G. T., & Sysko, R. (2009). Frequency of binge eating episodes in bulimia nervosa and

binge eating disorder: Diagnostic considerations. International Journal of Eating

Disorders, 42(7), 603-610.

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Reference