Signs & Symptoms of Anorexia & Bulimia

Anorexia is an eating disorder that is characterized by people becoming thin because they eat little or no food. People with bulimia often have periods of overeating followed by vomiting. Both eating disorders affect females, especially those who are teenagers, more than males, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Anorexia Weight Loss

• Anorexia often causes people to lose large amounts of weight and become obsessed with food, according to MedicineNet. They often lose weight by eating less than 1,000 calories a day of food and exercising frequently, according to the National Alliance on Mental Health.

Anorexia Traits

• Anorexia often causes people to develop low blood pressure, an abnormal heart rate, brittle bones, a soft covering of hair on their body, sleeping problems or thin or breakable hair. Women may stop menstruating as a result of anorexia, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Anorexic Social Behavior

• People with anorexia often withdraw from social situations, feel irritable or angry very easily, have a low self-esteem, try to please others or have a difficult time concentrating. Some individuals with anorexia develop other mental illnesses, such as depression or an addiction to drugs or sex.

Bulimia Eating Habits

• People suffering from bulimia often eat compulsively, often to the point that they experience stomach pain, but do not gain weight or have fluctuations in weight. They also eat in secret and have stashes of food, according to helpguide.org.

Bulimia Physical Changes

• Bulimia often causes people to have damaged teeth and gums, mouth or throat sores, puffy cheeks resulting from swollen salivary glands or calluses or scars on their hands or knuckles. Many women with bulimia experience irregular menstrual cycles, bloating, dehydration, constipation and fatigue.