I chose to write about bulimia nervosa because at the age of twelve I began purging after an attack of bulimia. It was the Christmas holidays and all my friends left the village for one reason or another. I found myself very bored and lonely, so I would binge eat while watching TV. I started to feel worse and worse about myself and worried a lot about gaining weight because I was already the fattest kid in school. I had a brilliant idea: start throwing up the food I was eating. I went there for about three days and was very pleased with myself because I kept throwing up after meals. One day I went to the bathroom to do the after-meal routine and stuck my fingers down my throat. My mother started banging on the door and shouted, “You better stop that.” After that day, I ate, but I never threw up. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay An eating disorder is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “any of several psychological disorders characterized by serious disturbances in eating behavior. Bulimia nervosa is described as eating unreasonable amounts of food followed by purging, enemas, laxative abuse, or excessive exercise. The DSM-5 states that to be diagnosed with bulimia nervosa, a person must have: "recurrent episodes of binge eating, recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors to avoid weight gain, binge eating, and behaviors Inappropriate compensatory behaviors both occur on average, at least once a week for three months, self-assessment is unduly influenced by body shape/weight, and the disturbance does not occur exclusively during episodes of anorexia nervosa. Several factors can cause bulimia nervosa. One of the main causes is the desire to be thin, influenced by culture and societal trends. According to Uppers, Downers, All Arounders, “the biochemical changes involved in bulimia can make the disorder self-perpetuating. There is evidence that metabolism slows to accommodate the binge cycle, leading to weight gain with the same food intake. When people vomit or use laxatives, the body releases natural opioids, so people with bulimia become dependent on their body's natural painkillers. According to the Uppers, Downers, All Arounders manual, the effects of bulimia include: "dental complications, increased tendency to abuse alcohol and drugs, dependence on laxatives for normal bowel movements, increased rate high depression, greater risk of suicide, and stomach acid burns the esophagus and throat. Stomach acid eats away tooth enamel, increases the development of cavities, and leaves front teeth looking chipped and jagged. The reasons why people choose to be bulimic vary from case to case. In today's society, thinness is attractive; If you look at the covers of magazines and advertisements around the world, you will see that being thin makes you desirable, sought after and attractive. One of the main reasons people choose to engage in unhealthy weight loss techniques is to fit into the culture. Others may be bulimic because they believe it will help them manage their weight. One may be bulimic in response to bullying, trauma, seeking approval, among other reasons. Keep in mind: this is just one).