What are people with bulimia like?
People who become bulimic often have problems with anxiety, depression, and impulse control (shoplifting, casual sexual activity, binge shopping, alcohol and drug abuse, and so forth. They may be dependent on their families even though they fiercely profess independence. Many have problems trusting other people. They have few or no truly satisfying friendships or romantic relationships. Are some people at special risk? Because of intense demands for thinness, some people are at high risk for eating disorders: wrestlers, jockeys, cheerleaders, sorority members, socialites, dancers, gymnasts, runners, models, actresses, entertainers, and male homosexuals. Eating disorders and physical or sexual abuse Some clinicians find that a high percentage of their clients with eating disorders also have histories of physical or sexual abuse. Research, however, suggests that people who have been abused have about the same incidence of eating disorders as those who have not been mistreated. Neverthele
