History Of Bulimia And How It Evolved Into a New Problem

The History of bulimia is old. Even in ancient RomeQuestions like, is a bulimia nervosa a new disease or it
people used to vomit up food they ate in the period ofis it the same disease that has been known for
feasting. They even had special places for it calledcenturies, but manifesting as a different version? And
"vomitorium". There is a lot of recollection about thesewhat made bulimia increase so significantly in the last a
events in ancient Rome books. Roman emperorsfew decades? Was it modern pressure to be thin or
Claudius and Vitellius were bulimic.more like inherited personality traits or both?
Some other cultures like ancient Egyptian purgedTo conclude, bulimia like simple overeating has been
themselves every month for three days in succession,known since ancient time. But the term "bulimia
using emetics and clysters to preserve health. Theynervosa" can not be applied to the cases recorded in
thought that human diseases come from food.histories that were published before 1979. Simply
In Europe in Middle Ages purgation was used like abecause the motives in the past for overeating and
remedy for many diseases and was advocated bythen purging were different from today and the
middle age physicians.psychological aspects were also different.
In ancient Greece and Arabia there were alsoThe modern term "bulimia nervosa" means not just the
descriptions in texts of binging and purging.simple practice of binging and purging, there are now
But all these ancient practices of binging and purgingcertain personality traits behind the term. These traits
are similar but not the same as what we call "bulimia"include addictive tendencies, problem with impulse
now. There was no evidence of a drive for thinnesscontrol, obsession with weight and general looks and
that is the obvious trait in all modern bulimics; in factcertain personality disorders can be associated with
skinny women were not the normal shape for women.the term of bulimia nervosa.
From the evidence that have been reported it isSo my own opinion is that bulimia nervosa is a new
obvious that bulimia nervosa as it is presented nowdisease of our time that has emerged due to the
was an unknown disease until the late 20th century.intensive pressure to look slim. Also the fact that they
In the 1970s there were cases described in medicalare used by many sufferers as a coping mechanism
literature of three patients in whom overeatingfor the extra stress we have in our lives nowadays.
alternated with under eating and was classed asModern medicine as put all its reliance on cognitive
anorexia nervosa. One patient vomited and the otherbehavior therapy for dealing with Bulimia. Although
two took a lot of laxatives to get rid of food.there was some early success it has now become
The first description of the modern bulimia nervosaapparent that it is failing for the majority of sufferers
was published in 1979 by Dr Russell. He stated in theas the disease continues to evolve.
result of his research that overeating and self-inducedThe new way forward in treating the disease is to
vomiting may have been common practices amongremove the subconscious blockages that have been
otherwise normal female students attending Northshown to hinder and hold back a person from
Americans universities. He mentioned that the conditionrecovery. As more and more is know about how the
was always most relevant to females.mind works medicine has to move with the flow of
There is no doubt that bulimia incidents significantlydiscoveries and not rely on an outdated methodology.
increased in the 1980s and came to exceed theBut unfortunately throughout history medicine has
incidences of anorexia nervosa.never moved at a quick pace, so many sufferers who
Still there are many questions remaining about bulimiado not find out about the newer methods will have to
nervosa.suffer needlessly until medicine catches up.