Signs of this disorder include losing an excessive amount of weight in a short period of time, exercising obsessively, performing rituals, such as cutting food into tiny bites, and refusing to eat with others. Bulimia usually affects an older group of women, ranging in age from 15 to 24. After the episode, they force themselves to vomit or use drugs to purge themselves of the food. Extroverted women, bulimics may have grown up in families with alcoholism and crime problems, and they tend to maintain a normal weight. A history of sexual abuse has been identified in victims of both conditions, particularly in bulimics.
Dental enamel eroded by stomach acid and lack of menstruation are other signs.
Treatment typically involves several different specialists, such as an adolescent medicine physician, a psychiatrist or other mental health provider, and a nutritionist, working as a team. If the problem is severe, the patient may need to spend some time in a hospital. Some patients benefit from antidepressants or other psychotropic medications. Counseling is usually vital, as the victim has to increase her sense of self-worth. Until she does that, she's always at risk of reverting back to these eating disorders.