I chose to write about Bulimia Nervosa because when I was twelve years old I started purging after binge eating. It was the Christmas holidays and all my friends left the village for one reason or another. I found myself very bored and lonely, so I would binge eat while watching television. I started feeling more and more bad about myself and worried a lot about gaining weight because I was already the fattest kid in school. I got the bright idea to start throwing up the food I had eaten. I went about three days and was very happy with myself for continuing to throw up after meals. One day I went to the bathroom to do my after-meal routine and stuck my fingers down my throat. My mother started banging on the door and yelled, “you better stop.” After that day, I binged but never vomited. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay An eating disorder is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “any of several psychological disorders characterized by severe eating disorders.” Bulimia nervosa is described as the consumption of unreasonable amounts of food followed by purging, enemas, laxative abuse, or excessive exercise. The DSM-5 states that to be diagnosed as having Bulimia Nervosa a person must have: “recurrent episodes of binge eating, recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors in order to prevent weight gain, binge eating and inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur on average , at least once a week for three months, self-assessment is excessively influenced by body shape/weight and the disorder does not manifest itself exclusively during episodes of Anorexia Nervosa. Many things can cause Bulimia Nervosa. One of the main causes is the desire to be thin, influenced by culture and social trends. Uppers, Downers, All Arounders states: “The biochemical changes involved in bulimia can cause the disorder to be self-perpetuating. There is evidence that the metabolism slows down to adapt to the bulimic cycle, which causes weight gain for the same food intake.” When people vomit or use laxatives, the body releases natural opioids, so people suffering from bulimia actually become dependent on their body's natural painkillers. According to the textbook Uppers, Downers, All Arounders the effects of bulimia are: “dental complications, an increased predisposition to alcohol and drug abuse, dependence on laxatives for normal bowel movements, a high rate of depression, a greater risk of suicide and the stomach acid burns the esophagus and throat”. Stomach acid eats away at tooth enamel, increases the development of tooth decay, and gives front teeth a chipped, ragged appearance. The reasons why people choose to be bulimic vary from case to case. In today's society, thin is attractive; if you take a look at magazine covers and advertisements around the world you will see that being thin makes you desirable, sought after and attractive. One of the main reasons people choose to engage in unhealthy weight loss techniques is to fit in with the culture. Others may be bulimic because they believe it will help them manage their weight. You might be bulimic in response to bullying, trauma, approval-seeking, among other reasons. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay If a doctor suspects that you have bulimia, he or she will complete a physical exam, do a blood test).