Causes of Bulimia

We look in the mirror and we don’t like what looks back at us. We look at the scale and we can’t believe the numbers! Most of us simply walk away from the mirror or step off the scale and carry-on with the rest of our day. However for the bulimic, dissatisfaction with self-image often triggers the vicious cycle of binge and purge. Although dissatisfaction with self-image was once considered to be the singular cause of bulimia, today research suggests that in some cases it may be part of the result of the illness.

The causes of bulimia have never been specifically defined. It was once thought to be only a psychological eating disorder but some recent studies hint that genetic factors may play a part in the illness while other studies indicate that some cases may be biological in nature.

A 1999 study published by the AMA’s Archives of General Psychiatry indicated that women deprived of tryptophan, a chemical naturally found in many foods, experienced a decrease in serotonin levels. Serotonin is a chemical that is produced in the brain and helps to regulate changes in mood and appetite. In the study led by Katharine A. Smith of the University of Oxford, England, researchers concluded that, "These findings suggest that lowered brain serotonin function can trigger some of the clinical features of bulimia nervosa in individuals vulnerable to the disorder."

Oddly enough, two of the synonyms of affluent are “feeder” and “loaded”. Like other eating disorders, bulimia is frequently characterized as being an offshoot of an affluent society where too much emphasis is placed on body image and weight. Those with bulimia suffer from a true fear of not “fitting in” with the picture society presents as healthy and acceptable.

In any event, whether bulimia is caused primarily by biological, genetic, or psychological elements, most experts agree that evidence of bulimia begins with dissatisfaction of a person's self-image and preoccupation with body size and shape. The bulimic individual’s low self-esteem, feelings of helplessness and fear of becoming fat are undeniably as much a part of the illness as are the binging and purging.

In addition, whatever the causes of bulimia, the illness is as harmful to the body as it is to the emotional well-being of the individual. Recurrent binge-and-purge cycles can impact the entire digestive system and purge behaviors can lead to a variety of severe physical conditions that affect the heart, major organ functions, and other body systems.