Bulimarexia

bulimarexia (bōōlim´rek´sē),
n an eating disorder distinguished by a combination of the symptoms prevalent in both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa; develops primarily in teenage and young adult females.

"Bulimarexia is probably the most misunderstood form of the three main types of eating disorders; it is also not nearly as well-known. While the most obvious characteristic of anorexia is the appearance of starving oneself, and habitually binging and purging is the primary characteristic of bulimia, many people are quite at a loss to know what the problem is when a person exhibits both characteristics at various times. That factor is actually what bulimarexia is: the person who suffers from bulimarexia runs on a cycle of both conditions. If it isn't apparent, bulimarexia has the potential of being considerably more destructive than either of the two conditions alone.

Bulimarexia totally wreaks havoc on a person's entire system. While both conditions are damaging enough in themselves, the inability to sustain either of the conditions individually puts the person's health in an extreme state of decline. Obviously, if a person has reached this state, getting professional help as soon as possible is absolutely essential.

A person who has bulimarexia will bounce back and forth from the symptoms of one condition to the symptoms of the other. She will display some periods of restricting her food intake to nearly none, and some periods of stuffing in large quantities of food, removing it from her body afterward with purging. If she still has the physical strength to do so, she may engage in unreasonable degrees of exercise, believing that it will not only help her control her weight but will also help her to gain control in general. Bulimarexia is the absolute extreme in the person's sense of, and exhibiting, complete loss of control.

The observer should not make the mistake of thinking that when the pattern of one form of eating disorder changes into the opposite that this is a good sign. Instead, it is a sign that the person is no longer able to even hold to one pattern, and so goes back and forth from one to the other. Not only is this state potentially life threatening, the psychological implications can be equally deadly. Professional assistance is necessary for the sake of the person's life. "

Read in full here. TheEatingDisorderFacts.com

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Article source:
http://www.theeatingdisordersfacts.com/what-is-bulimarexia.html
definition source: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/bulimarexiapicture source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/porsche-linn/6999151879/

23 comments:

Medusa said...

To read that bulimarexia is more destructive than either anorexia or bulimia is shocking.

New forms of eating disorders, which were virtually unheard of a few years ago, are rising to the surface every day, and I am dumbfounded at how prevalent they are, especially among young people.

Thanks for getting the word out, MrsM, about bulimarexia. KUTGW!

My blog: Medusa

Anonymous said...

It's not shocking. 2/3 of "Anorexics" would be considered Bulimerexic rather than just Anorexic-purge type.

It is sort of ironic, really...to be considered anorexic, but to eat more calories in a few hours than what a person eats in a whole day...

And in the end, you are still told to "eat".

Anonymous said...

I am mainly bulimic but I often restrict and fast. So I would consider myself bulimarexic. I don't binge HUGE amounts, usually not more than 1000 calories. And I always exercise obsessively too...

Anonymous said...

I thought i was bulimic, but not classical, cuz i dont binge too much..i fast and intake low amount of kcal during a day.. Recently, after researching, i realized i am actually bulimarexic.. I didnt even know this hybrid classification existed.. and i dont know whats gonna happen with my condition...i visited nutritionist, but she was some fat, arogant bitch.. she made me an eating plan, which is insane.. too much of food and everything.. i ve read it, and threw it away. Beside that, i used to visit psychologist before i actually became bulimarexic, but I had an impression that she couldnt help me, period. I wont seek for help anymore.

MrsMenopausal said...

Sometimes the fit just isn't right when it comes to a therapist. Don't give up. Try a new one and don't make your mind up right away about them. Give it a few visits. If it's not a good fit again, try another. There are wonderful therapists out there who will be able to help you. Don't give up. Recovery is so worth it.

Anonymous said...

I am a bulimarexia, but i don't binge, i eat normal to not much food and then i throw it up, but this past month i lost 2-3 lbs cause i just didn't really eat much,it was working so now that schools starting again i can go back to eating like maybe 1 meal a day and throwing it up, right now i'm at 115-117 lbs and counting down, and i'm not losing control, i think that control thing is bullshit, i am in control, i'm losing weight, it's all good

MrsMenopausal said...

Anonymous,your body needs proper nourishment in order to not only thrive, but survive. I hope that you seek help in dealing with your disorder. Purging is a very dangerous thing to do. Please take care of yourself.

Anonymous said...

I had anorexia for two years, but now i am slipping between anorexia and bulimia and i hate it!!
I fast for days on end, lose weight, binge, purge, gain weight, exercise and then fast again...
I miss the days of anorexia when it was simple and i was in control. I will get that back.

MrsMenopausal said...

Anonymous, What you're doing can be deadly. Please seek help for your eating disorder. Life is meant to be enjoyed and lived to it's fullest. Please take care of your health. I wish you well.

Anonymous said...

i cant stop vomiting food because i feel really fat i weight 123 . i vomit food twice a day .

MrsMenopausal said...

Please seek help. There are many programs, websites, hotlines, and organizations that can help you recover. In the sidebar menu there is a list of hotlines, etc. Please check them out and give them a try.

Anonymous said...

I use to be skinny from k-12. I had 2 babies since and gained a stupid amount of weight that seems to be hard to get off. Working out n trying to control my eating habits that seemed to have spiraled out of control now that I am a stay at home with nothing really to do. Sounds pathetic. I have been struggling with bulimia on and off for about 7 years now. I do like to go to the gym, treadmill is my favorite...but now since I dumped my babysit dad, I am always home with the kids, I have to pay for a monthly membership, but also a babysitter now...its just too costly. I bought a treadmill it went kapoots on me. So, the purging had started up again as my last resort. I never really went on fasts before, I feel like a fat shit with no control of what goes in the oinker. But I know the effects of bulimia and the whole cardiac arrest and tooth decay blah blah blah...but I feel like I don't have a choice anymore. I have been fasting the last 4 days, gets hard, but I always look at my skinny pants and think I wanna get back to that, bc one of my thighs can't even go in my old jeans. I been fasting, and when I do eat, it comes out again...so I guess I'm a "bulimirexic" I have hunger pangs now, its like 130 am, not gonna have a habit of late night munchies, I never smacked at night n won't start now. So I'm off to sleep...gnite if anyone bothered to read this.

MrsMenopausal said...

Anonymous,
I'm sorry you're going through this. Are you seeing anyone about your eating disorder? Having the guidance of professionals who specialize in eating disorders is so important. If you're not seeing someone, please do. Weight, size, jeans, scales... they're not what is important. Your health is.
If you need help with finding resources you can email me with your location and I'll do all that I can to help find some options for you.
Please take care of yourself for you and for your children.

Anonymous said...

I wish people around me would notice my problem...nobody cares, nobody asks. They all praise me for remaining thin and in shape after having three kids and nearly 40 yrs old. Being in control makes me feel out of control.

MrsMenopausal said...

Please don't depend on those around you to notice in order to seek help. You can do that for yourself even if no one else is aware of what you're dealing with. Take care of yourself, reach out for what you need. Recovery is definitely possible and you're worth it!

Anonymous said...

Reading this made me realise that I fit into the 'bulimarexic' category even though I didn't know it existed. I'll eat about two/three small meals a day, and just purge three/four times a day even if I haven't had much to eat. It's a cycle you can't break out of.

MrsMenopausal said...

I'm sorry you're going through this. Please see someone who can help you deal with your eating disorder. What you're doing is very dangerous and recovery is possible!

Anonymous said...

I have buimarexia too. I had a baby two months ago,fortunately he is really healthy though I only ut on 5 kgs during pregnancy. Now I lost not only that but 3/4 kilos more. Everyone compliments me on how good i look after the baby! they wouldn't i they knew what i do n how i really feel......

MrsMenopausal said...

Anonymous, Congratulation on your new arrival! Unfortunately, people comment on weight as a compliment far too often. They don't know what is truly going on and so don't realize what they are doing. Recover from this is most definitely possible. Please speak up and reach out for help. You have a baby who is depending on you to be healthy, happy, and there for him/her.
All the best to you.

Anonymous said...

Iv lost 5 and a half stone in under 3 years and im 18. When i started dieting i was still eating 3 meals aday and looseing weight but it wasnt enougth. started going to the gym.everyday cutting down to one meal a day and not eating carbs. now i find myself either starving myself or eating and making myself sick and taking laxatives i cant rember the last day i went without taking laxs ir throwing up . iv gone from size 18 to size 8 but its not enougth i want to be thinner i want to be able to look in the mirror and see a body im proud of and not fat! I know iv got this problem but i dint wanna do anything about it i just wqnna be thin and if it means having cramps and a sore throte daily i will stick it out .

MrsMenopausal said...

Anonymous, I'm so sorry you're going through this. Please reach out for help with what you're dealing with. You can find many online and offline resources here: http://weighingthefacts.blogspot.com/2008/03/eating-disorder-help-hotlines.html If I can help with finding any information or resources for you please feel free to email me at mrsmenopausal@yahoo.com. Please take care of yourself.

Anonymous said...

Many anorexics who are bulimarexics are not overeating. They eat an almost appropriate amount of food, or some small amount of food, one day and feel sickened by it, then get rid of it.

Anonymous said...

I have a friend who is Bulimarexic, I think, but instead of intaking a large quantity of food and vomiting, or starving herself, she does both at the same time; she restricts her food intake, and then to rid the feelings of hunger, she'll eat, but throw up after. Occasionally, she'll eat without purging, but quite rarely. Is this Bulimarexic or something else? I would appreciate any clarifications or suggestions.