As for pharmacologic treatment, bulimics are primarily treated with antidepressants, which have been a more effective therapy for bulimics than for anorexics. However, in the long-term, psychological treatment is more effective. Compulsive overeating is typically characterized by uncontrollable eating when not physically hungry, and even when feeling full. Affected individuals often feel ashamed, guilty, and disgusted with their bodies and lack of self-control over eating. They tend to be overweight, fluctuate in body weight, and are likely to become obese if they continue this behavior.
Obesity can cause complications, some of which are severe.
Binge eating disorder is similar to bulimia nervosa in that it is typically characterized by regular and repeated binge eating episodes. An episode of binge eating involves rapidly and uncontrollably eating a large amount of food in a single time period at one sitting until uncomfortably full. Unlike bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder does not include purging or other compensatory behaviors. Affected individuals are usually obese and have had problems with fluctuations in their body weight. For a majority of these individuals, binge eating begins during a diet.