Diagnosis Criteria for Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia

Eating Disorder Recovery 

According to the APA, in order for a person to be diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, they must display the following symptoms. First, the individual seeks to maintain a weight that is not healthy. This is defined using the lowest weight that is considered normal for the individual's age and height. An individual suffering from anorexia nervosa will seek to maintain a weight that is below the lowest normal weight for their age and height. Anorexia nervosa patients may manifest pronounced anxiety and fear about gaining weight. They may fear becoming overweight, even if they happen to be at a healthy weight, or even very underweight. Individuals with anorexia nervosa suffer from severely distorted body images. They may refuse to eat, withdraw from friends and family, and engage in a strenuous exercise routine. Women who are diagnosed with anorexia nervosa have generally missed at least three consecutive menstrual periods.

For patients with bulimia, the diagnostic criteria are as follows. According to the APA, patients with bulimia suffer from repeated episodes of binge eating. A normal binge eating session can result in the consumption of over 3,000 calories in just a few hours. On average, the patient will engage in a binge eating session at least two times in one week, for a minimum of at least three months. These binge-eating sessions are followed by a period of purging. Purging may consist of the use of laxatives, diuretics, or self-induced vomiting. During the course of a binge and purge session, the patient feels incapable of exercising control over their binging and purging. Beside binge and purge sessions, bulimia patients may also engage in other compulsive behaviors, including vigorous exercise regimes, strict dieting, fasting, and alcohol and substance abuse. Furthermore, the bulimia patient will display excessive concern over their body weight and shape.

Both anorexia nervosa and bulimia are marked by secrecy and obsession. Patients suffering from either eating disorder tend to withdraw from family members and friends. They may exhibit signs of depression or anxiety. Although eating disorders affect people from all kinds of backgrounds, they tend to afflict more young women than any other part of the population. Some studies suggest that affluent white women are more susceptible to developing some kind of eating disorder. Treatment options include hospitalization until weight gain has been achieved (mostly for anorexia nervosa patients), psychotherapy, group and family counseling, nutritional therapy, and drug therapy. With support from friends and family and counseling, the patient can learn to develop a healthy relationship with food, exercise, and their own body image.