Bulimia is one of the most common eating disorders. According to the National Eating Disorder Association, an estimated 1 percent of young women and 0.1 percent of young men meet diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa at any given time. Bulimia nervosa is defined as a repetitive cycle of compulsive binge-eating and purging behaviors.
Someone with bulimia may eat a large amount of food in a short period and then try to remove it from their body by purging using several different methods. These methods may include vomiting, exercising excessively, fasting, and using laxatives, enemas or diuretics.
The most common types of bulimia include:
- Purging type
- Non-purging type
- Exercise bulimia
The most common behavioral symptoms of bulimia are:
- Shame
- Low self-esteem
- Lack of confidence
- Social isolation
- Distorted self-image
Some of the most common physical symptoms of bulimia include:
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Acid reflux
- Heartburn
- Stomach pain
- Corrosion or yellowing of teeth (from purging)
Bulimia Self-Assessment
If you recognize symptoms of bulimia in yourself or someone you know, take this self-assessment to help identify signs of bulimia. This quiz is a self-guided assessment that has been created from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders which is the standard criteria for diagnosing mental health and substance use disorders. While not a formal clinical diagnosis, the results of this bulimia quiz can help you better understand how bulimia may affect your life.
Related: Getting Help for Addiction & Mental Health with Teletherapy
The following self-assessment contains 12 questions related to bulimia.
Please answer “yes” or “no.” In the past six months, have you:
