Steps to follow:
As we pointed out, both anorexia and bulimia are eating behavior disorders derived from excessive concern for physical appearance and body weight control. Both are fundamentally motivated by the high self-demand, insecurity, low self-esteem and the great fear of failing for having a body different from the ideal model accepted in society, which people who suffer from them have. All this leads them to develop an obsession with improving their body image by losing weight , which leads to serious problems in both their physical and mental health.
Steps to follow:
As we pointed out, both anorexia and bulimia are eating behavior disorders derived from excessive concern for physical appearance and body weight control. Both are fundamentally motivated by the high self-demand, insecurity, low self-esteem and the great fear of failing for having a body different from the ideal model accepted in society, which people who suffer from them have. All this leads them to develop an obsession with improving their body image by losing weight , which leads to serious problems in both their physical and mental health.
To understand the difference between anorexia and bulimia , first of all it is essential what is the general picture presented by patients with each of these diseases:
- Anorexia is defined as a psychological disorder in which the sick person has a distorted view of their body , seeing themselves as fat even though their weight is much lower than that recommended for their good health. You feel real terror of obesity or weight gain, so you try to lose weight by stopping eating and restricting your consumption, especially of foods with higher caloric value.
- Bulimia , on the other hand, is a psychological disorder in which the patient suffers sudden changes in weight , due to their behavior. They feel a great desire to consume high-calorie foods in large quantities, episodes known as binge eating, which are always linked to feelings of guilt and extreme measures such as inducing vomiting to avoid gaining weight, ingesting laxatives, abusing physical exercise and follow radical diets.
Therefore, the main difference between anorexia and bulimia that is observed is linked to the behavior of patients when controlling their weight. On the one hand, patients with anorexia have a much more controlling behavior when faced with their goal of losing weight, since all their actions are aimed at carefully analyzing and controlling what they eat, and even being able to not eat anything throughout the day.
On the other hand, bulimia patients present a more anxious and little controlling behavior , since they have a real lack of control in their daily diet, following radical regimens such as spending a day without eating in combination with the impulsive consumption of a large amount of food (binge eating). . Later, they compensate for these binge eating by making themselves vomit or taking laxatives to get rid of the feeling of guilt and shame they feel towards themselves.
Another difference that can be detected between a person with anorexia and another with bulimia is in body weight . Normally, patients with anorexia weigh much less than their ideal weight, reaching a situation of extreme thinness; while patients with bulimia can have a normal weight and gain weight and lose weight very abruptly.
Likewise, both pathologies are extremely dangerous and require specific psychiatric treatment , so the help of a good specialist should be sought. In you can see interesting articles on How to help my son/daughter with anorexia and How to help my son/daughter with bulimia .
