Who Is at Risk for Becoming Bulimic?
Anyone who feels the pressure to have a perfect body is at risk. As rail-thin models and the current Hollywood “It” girls continue to be given top billing on magazines, TV, movies and the Internet, pressure to match that look is placed on every young female in the United States, and on many of the young men. Additionally, if one person in a family is bulimic, the chance of another individual from the same family becoming bulimic rises significantly. It must also be noted that bulimia has more to do with psychological issues and feelings of lack of control than it has to do with food. While it is not known what exactly causes bulimia, it is thought to center around a genetic fault in which abnormal levels of serotonin, a chemical in the brain used during emotional stress or social pressure, is released. This abnormal release is due in part to cultural changes and stress. Individuals who suffer from this disease are recurrent binge eaters who then purge (vomit or take laxatives) to preve
