| Some people may feel that they are fat, no matter | | | | levels of a chemical in the brain called serotonin. |
| how thin they actually are. Or they may feel guilty | | | | Altered levels of serotonin may also contribute to |
| when they eat too much food. The guilt and shame | | | | clinical depression. |
| from eating makes the person vomit up all their food. | | | | Social pressures may contribute to bulimia's |
| These people have bulimia nervosa, or bulimia, an | | | | development. People who want to please others may |
| eating disorder. The disorder has nothing to do with the | | | | feel compelled to keep thin and fit. Women in particular |
| digestive system, but rather with the mind. And though | | | | receive daily messages to be thin. This drive may turn |
| people with bulimia may share the same guilt and | | | | into an eating disorder. |
| shame about food, and the same patterns of bingeing | | | | Emotional stress from family problems or being a |
| and purging, bulimia has many causes. Doctors have | | | | perfectionist may also contribute to a person |
| not identified any one cause of bulimia, but do know of | | | | developing bulimia. |
| several factors that may contribute to developing | | | | A person with bulimia will first binge, meaning that he or |
| bulimia. | | | | she will eat more than 1,000 calories in one sitting. |
| Bulimia may be caused by a genetic component. | | | | Sometimes, to a person with an eating disorder like a |
| Certain genes may predispose a person to developing | | | | bulimia, eating a cookie might constitute a binge. The |
| bulimia. Bulimia appears to run in families—people with | | | | binge then triggers intense feelings of self-disgust and |
| relatives suffering from bulimia have a higher | | | | the person will induce vomiting, exercise excessively, or |
| frequency of developing bulimia. This may, however, | | | | abuse laxatives to remove the perceived extra weight. |
| have more to do with family influences and role | | | | Bulimia is caused by numerous, subtle factors, and all |
| models than genetics. | | | | people suffering from bulimia need treatment from a |
| Brain chemistry may also cause bulimia. Research | | | | psychiatrist and therapy to break the binge-and-purge |
| indicates that people with bulimia tend to have different | | | | cycle. |