Bulimia Disorder

Of all the behavioral and psychological problems currently in existence today, bulimia disorder is rapidly becoming one of the most prevalent of the bunch. Unfortunately, we are still trying to determine the true causes of the disorder. Is it a phenomenon of western culture since the pressure is on young Caucasian girls and women to be attractive and thin? One can only speculate. Could there be other factors involved, or can we change the effects on people by influencing these factors?

The common factors that we need to examine are biological, environmental, and genetic in nature when we talk about what causes any behavioral or psychological disorder. This is especially true where eating disorders are concerned. Here are a few things to look at in order to better understand whether we influence these particular factors or they influence us where bulimia disorder is concerned.

According to the findings of recent scientific research, we are all born with a predisposition towards developing the disorder – thanks to heredity. This is particularly true where being susceptible to addiction is in our genes. The research revealed that the gene that is the cause of this addictive tendency dates back to the individual’s ancestors. Additionally, this addiction takes on a number of different forms such as alcohol, drugs, food, nicotine, etc. This is the reason why numerous bulimics have a substance dependency that they are suffering from as well.

Suffice it to say, the above makes it difficult for the individual with bulimia disorder to overcome it and recover fully. So it is an addiction gene that turns out to be the culprit even though there is that genetic predisposition to the disorder that may be present. So no single “bulimia gene” is totally responsible. Additionally, if we trace backwards through past family members, we will see that many of them suffered with addictions at some time in their lives.

Conversely, not every individual with this addiction gene develops bulimia disorder or any other eating disorder. Environmental factors can also trigger the onset of the disorder. This includes family attitudes, a lack of acceptance of ones body shape and self, the media’s influence on us to be attractive and thin, peer pressure, and poor self esteem. Remember that bulimia disorder typically begins because of a distorted self image.

For more information regarding bulimia disorder and a treatment program for it, please call Harmony Grove at the toll-free phone number above.