Anorexia and Bulimia: What’s the Difference?

Anorexia and bulimia are serious, sometimes fatal, mental health disorders characterized by an unhealthy preoccupation with food, dissatisfaction with one’s body shape or weight, and a compulsion to engage in extreme eating habits and/or unhealthy methods of weight control.

In rare cases, a person may experience both anorexia and bulimia at the same time. This co-occurrence of the two is known as anorexia-bulimia and is most likely to occur in individuals who have a strong desire to lose weight but have trouble maintaining the extreme dietary restrictions of anorexia, so they resort to binge eating and purging to help them achieve and maintain their weight loss goal.

There are many similarities between anorexia and bulimia, but they are also unique.

Similarities between anorexia and bulimia

Anorexia and bulimia are the two most common eating disorders. Both involve an unhealthy obsession with food and body image that tends to negatively impact every aspect of the anorexic or bulimic’s life, and they are both also frequently accompanied by other mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Anorexia and bulimia both deprive the body of needed nutrients and can lead to electrolyte imbalances and medical complications such as organ damage and cardiovascular issues. Left untreated, they also increase the risk of suicide or premature death.

Other similarities shared by anorexia and bulimia include mood swings, a negative or distorted body image, evaluating and judging self-worth based on a perception of body weight and shape, secretive eating habits, fear of weight gain, feelings of inadequacy and a need for control, low self-esteem, perfectionism, unrealistic beauty standards, excessive exercising, hiding eating habits from others, and avoiding social events that involve food.

Differences between anorexia and bulimia

Although anorexia and bulimia both involve a constant preoccupation with food and an intense fear of gaining weight, their accompanying motivation, strategies, and food-related behaviors are different.

One key difference between these two disordered eating patterns is that people with anorexia are obsessed with losing weight and severely reduce their food intake to the point of starvation to achieve this goal. People with bulimia, on the other hand, binge eat an excessive amount of food in a short period of time and then compensate by purging their body of the food before it can be absorbed, to avoid weight gain.

Another dissimilarity between anorexia and bulimia is the psychology behind the disorder. It has been hypothesized that anorexia is not just about a distorted body image, but rather it is also a dysfunctional coping mechanism to try and feel a sense of control and power over one’s life. Bulimia on the other hand is thought to be more of a coping mechanism to help the person manage stress.

There are physical differences in how anorexia and bulimia affect the body as well. Anorexia, for example, is characterized by serious weight loss and emaciation, whereas people with bulimia tend to maintain a normal, stable weight, which can make their condition go unnoticed by others for a long time.

People with anorexia also exhibit physical symptoms such as malnutrition, fatigue, dizziness, and low blood pressure. In contrast, the recurrent self-induced vomiting of bulimia tends to erode tooth enamel, lead to dental problems, and cause damage to the esophagus.

Causes of anorexia and bulimia

Although evidence is not conclusive, studies indicate that genetic predisposition and the influence of family environment can increase the risk of developing an eating disorder. According to NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association), people who have an immediate family member with an eating disorder are more likely to develop one themselves, as well as inherit personality traits and characteristics that make them more susceptible.

Another major contributing factor is the internalizing of the media’s unrealistic ideals of beauty and a thin body type, as well as social stigma against people who are overweight.

Treatment options

The most effective interventions for treating anorexia and bulimia consist of a customized mix of medical management, nutritional counseling, and therapeutic support that addresses both the unique physical and psychological aspects of the diagnosed disorder, as well as the individual’s personal requirements.

If you have questions about this article on anorexia and bulimia or are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned and would like to set up an appointment to meet with one of the trained faith-based counselors at our location to see how they can help support you in your journey toward recovery and the achieving of your goals in a healthy way, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.