Bulimia is the popular term for bulimia nervosa, an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by self-destructive methods of weight control such as vomiting, fasting, excessive use of enemas, laxatives, or diuretics, and compulsive exercising. A “binge” is when an individual eats an abnormally large amount of food. Binge eating is a response to mental health issues such as stress, low self-esteem, or depression – not intense hunger. The cycle of overeating and purging usually becomes an obsession and is repeated often. Many celebrities admit to bouts of bulimia as a way to control weight gain. American Idol Kelly Clarkson says she stopped binging and purging when her friends confronted her about the problem. Lindsey Lohan has also been rumored to suffer from bulimia.
