I feel out of control while I binge eat which subsequently leaves me feeling guilty and ashamed. I purge myself after binge eating by inducing vomiting, using laxatives, diuretics or excessive exercise. My bingeing tends to cycle with my mood. For example, if I am depressed or angry I may binge and then vomit. Physical signs due to repeated vomiting.
Stomach acid dissolves the enamel on teeth.
Damage to bowel muscles which may lead to long-term constipation. Because of societal pressures not to be fat, individuals may tend to restrict their eating. The strictness of this dieting pattern may then lead them to lose control and hence binge eat. In addition, as a way of dealing with their emotional distress, bulimic individuals may find temporary comfort in consuming huge quantities of food within a short period of time. The family environment of bulimic individuals compared with anorexic individuals is believed to be more chaotic and disorganized and this may, hence, contribute to the impulsivity seen in binge eating.