What is Bulimia Nervosa?

If you have bulimia, somehow you know it.

You may not call yourself bulimic, or admit to your relatives or friends, but deep inside you know that eating a whole bag of Oreos and a gallon of ice cream is not healthy. Or normal.

Let's face it. Most people would be sick from eating that much sugar. And you probably are too. That's why you have to get rid of the food in a way you probably think is unique to you. You may throw up, take laxatives, run for 5 miles, or collapse onto your bed and sleep fitfully for 10 hours -- anything to undo your frightening lapse of control and discomfort. And you're convinced that you're the only one who is haunted by these feelings.

You hide your secret from everyone--even yourself. Denial can be very strong. Then you read something like this -- and your stomach drops, your hands sweat... and you know.

So you head to the bookstore, or go on-line, seeking information. You come across the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" of the American Psychiatric Association. Quickly, you turn to the page on Bulimia Nervosa and find out that people who have this condition:

• Binge on large amounts of food in a short period of time...more than others could.
• Feel no control over the amount of food they eat.
• Resort to inappropriate ways of avoiding weight gain, such as using diuretics and laxatives; inducing vomiting; and excessive exercising and fasting.
• Base their self-worth on how thin they are.

And suddenly your feelings and behavior don't seem so unique. You have a condition with a name. Bulimia Nervosa. Finally, it all makes sense.

Here's a day in the life of a bulimic.

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