Bulimia Nervosa

What Is It?

Bulimia Nervosa is an illness where the young person will experience periods of significant overeating associated with feelings of being out of control. These binges will usually involve consumption of large amounts of high calorie foods and can be up to 3,000-5,000 calories in volume.

The young person will then desperately try to compensate for this by various methods to prevent weight gain. These may include: - self induced vomiting, laxative abuse and/or diuretic use. This is commonly referred to as purging.

These behaviours are usually secretive in nature and the young person will experience feelings of shame, disgust and anxiety in association with them.

Young people who suffer from Bulimia Nervosa will experience the same fear of weight gain associated with Anorexia Nervosa and will report a distorted self image.

Bulimia Nervosa is most commonly seen in adolescent girls and young women. The ratio of males to females is 1:10.

It is estimated that at any one point 1:50 females will suffer with Bulimia Nervosa.

It is important to note that unlike Anorexia Nervosa, young people with Bulimia Nervosa are often of normal body weight and therefore it is much harder to identify there may be a problem initially.

How May Bulimia Nervosa Present?

The following are some of the behaviours and signs that may indicate a young person has Bulimia Nervosa:

  • Blood shot eyes from the strain of vomiting
  • Small cuts and calluses on the knuckles due to self induced vomiting
  • Compulsive exercise and/or activity to counteract the bingeing episodes regularly going to the bathroom/toilet after meals
  • Buying large amounts of food and eating large amounts
  • Swollen face due to swollen salivary glands

What To Do next?

  • Consider talking to the young person and letting them know what you have noticed and that you are concerned
  • Consider signposting them to some helpful websites and/or giving some appropriate leaflets
  • You should raise your concerns with their parents, liaise with the GP and/or Rise (the mental health service for children and young people) for advice
  • If you feel at any point that the young person is so unwell that they require emergency attention you should contact the local accident and emergency department


This is particularly important if a young person is regularly inducing vomiting. Their blood chemistry can become dangerously abnormal and they may need emergency treatment.