Eating disorders (ED) encompass conditions such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, megarexia, orthorexia and vigorexia. Each presents an altered perception of the body, which can lead to serious health problems.

Behind every empty plate or every hidden episode in the bathroom there is a different story, but a common pattern: food has stopped being food and has become a battlefield.

Among the two best-known nervous eating disorders are bulimia and anorexia, problems that require multidisciplinary action, but in which an initial psychiatric and psychotherapeutic approach is necessary, say specialists from the Medical Surgical Center for Digestive Diseases, based in Madrid.

Bulimia and anorexia are often confused because they share an intense fear of gaining weight, excessive concern about body image, and emotional problems. However, they are different diseases that differ mainly in the resulting body weight and the type of eating behavior.

Understanding what unites them and what separates them is key to detecting them in time and better supporting those who suffer from them.

What are they?

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by severe restriction of food intake, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted perception of one's body image, even when weight is already well below healthy levels.

Bulimia nervosa, on the other hand, is defined by recurrent episodes of binge eating - eating large amounts of food in a short time, with a feeling of loss of control. followed by compensatory behaviors: self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives or diuretics, prolonged fasting or excessive physical exercise.

Coincidences

Although they manifest differently, both disorders share several underlying features:

Differences

An important nuance: normal weight in bulimia contributes to this disorder going more unnoticed, both by the environment and by the health system itself, which sometimes delays the diagnosis and the start of treatment.

A limit that is not always clear

Specialists agree that the border between both disorders is not always clear. There are mixed forms—such as anorexia with episodes of binge eating and purging—and it is not uncommon for a person to transition from one condition to another over time.

For this reason, current diagnostic manuals insist on evaluating each case individually, beyond pigeonholing it into a closed category.

Importance of early detection

Mental health professionals emphasize that the earlier an eating disorder is identified, the better the prognosis. Some warning signs—none of which are decisive on their own—include sudden changes in eating habits, excessive concern about weight or calories, social isolation around meals, or frequent trips to the bathroom after eating.

In the event of any of these signs, the recommendation is always the same: go to a health professional, without blaming or minimizing what the person is going through.

You may also be interested in:

What should a first aid kit contain in case of emergency? This is how you can avoid acid refluxThe wounds that are not seen: bullying leaves consequences that last a lifetime