Emotional and Social Consequences of Bulimia

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Cognitive Consequences

  • Focus on food and eating
  • Loss of interest in other activities
  • Distorted beliefs about food, eating, body shape and size

– Denial
– Minimisation
– Blaming             
– Diversion
– Intellectualisation
– Dichotomous thinking
– Personalization
– Overgeneralisation
– Magical thinking

  • Passing on unrealistic/distorted attitudes and beliefs about food to children
  • Poor concentration
  • Memory problems
  • Difficulty in comprehending
  • Difficulty making decisions

Emotional Consequences

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Shame
  • Guilt
  • Embarrassment
  • Hopelessness
  • Fear of being discovered
  • Disgust
  • Low Self-esteem
  • Feeling out of control

Social Consequences

  • Isolation 
  • Secrecy
  • Interpersonal mistrust
  • Decreased sexual interest

Financial Consequences

  • Spending large amounts of money or buying binge foods and laxatives

Legal Consequences

  • Getting caught shoplifting food, laxatives or other things

References
Bulik, C., Sullivan, P., Carter, F., Joyce, P., & McIntosh, V. (1993). Cognitive Therapy Therapist Manual for the treatment of Bulimia Nervosa. University of Canterbury, New Zealand.

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