The occurrence of bulimia nervosa in susceptible patients is usually associated with the interplay of food, weight, and self image. Behind each case is a complicated story of why the person has resorted to food binging and purging. Being a highly common disease in the US, and affecting about one to three percent of young females, it has been the basis of several studies which aims to address the nature of the disease process itself.

The Dilemma

There has always been a constant argument on whether the underlying cause of bulimia nervosa is physiological or psychological. There are specific case studies which support either ends of the knowledge spectrum. However, where each case would try to outweigh the proof over the opposing aspect, there would be cases to prove otherwise. Researchers have found it difficult to pinpoint where bulimia really stems from, and have been only successful in providing answers to a case to case basis. It may be said that it would be safer to define the disease as both physiological and psychological in nature.

Areas Of Concern

In the physiological aspect, evidences and theories revolve around neurotransmitters and how they affect the eating habits exhibited by the individual. In this manner, the main determinant of the progress of bulimia nervosa rests with the theory that neurotransmitter dysfunction is the main culprit with developing an eating disorder. More specifically, the level of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the body at certain times has been pegged as having the greatest role in influencing the food intake.

As for the psychological aspect, researchers have been trying to indicate that the physical aspect is just the body’s way of trying to manifest the occurrence of such event, and that the mental state of the patient is the controlling factor. Therefore in this context, the mind plays a major role in developing an affinity with binging, and the increase of the neurotransmitter level is just the physical evidence.

Research Process Of Exploring The Progression Of Disease

As a safer means of trying to understand the cause of bulimia, a protocol has been established by many researchers to explore the psychological aspect first with the assumption that the brain has complete control of the events happening. Afterwards, the physical manifestations such as the abnormal serotonin and emotional levels are addressed as part of the physical exploration, and are intervened with drugs and therapy. The intervention becomes specific with the psychological aspect as each individual has a reason or a history to why such emotional instability has developed into bulimia as a means of compensation.

The Cycle

The bulimic cycle is a rather simple description of out of control eating patterns, wherein it is often destructive with the physiological processes of the body. This begins with the onset of the emotional burden which triggers the rapid change in food ingestion. The food intake only gets disrupted when the bulimic person is either interrupted by another person, another recurring emotionally inducing thought which may alter the current one, or perhaps when there is already pain in the stomach due to potential indigestion.

An interruption would trigger a momentary period of self reflection and awareness, and triggers an opposite switch to reverse the initial action, manifested by self induced vomiting, compulsive exercising, or through the ingestion of laxatives. This occurs from a single episode to several ones per day.

The Internal Strife

As the individual is aware that the episodic manifestations are shameful to others’ views, this eventually becomes a hidden process which person establishes as an escape for the different emotional burdens causing it. Some may even try to rationalize that this practice is quite normal and would ignore its effects to the body, thinking that the end result of having a good external physique is an alternative way of rewarding one’s self.

Progression To Non Purging Bulimia

Other researches have been able to isolate the progression of bulimia nervosa to a non purging state, wherein the individual resorts to an excessive exercising regime which results to a rapid weight loss due to both fluid and fat loss. Considered as a secondary form of bringing down the weight, it is still as dangerous as the usual cases as the risk of excessive electrolyte loss, and over fatigue fo the body may damage the tissues and organs. 

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