A Guide to Eating Disorders

Purging Disorder

Purging Disorder, by Google's definition is,

is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent purging (self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas) to control weight or shape in the absence of binge eating episodes that occurs in people with normal or near-normal weight.

To clear it up a little, Purging Disorder is an ED where an individual will frequently purge, most often without eating binges influencing it, which is most commonly seen in those who have Bulimia Nervosa.

Because they are mlst often not purging in response to binges, they will often have a weight that is lower than average for their height and age, as they are not "making up for" anything with the purging.

Currently, in diagnostic terms, Purging Disorder is a part of OSFED and will most commonly be diagnosed as EDNOS because of a lack of education/research

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Signs of Purging Disorder include swollen cheeks, clear teeth, and popped blood vessels in the eyes, as they are all side effects of frequent vomiting. As stated above, Purging Disorder does not only apply to those who purge by self-induced vomiting, although it is the most common way.

Some medical professionals argue whether or not excessive exercise can be diagnosed as Purging Disorder, but most agree that frequent exercise to lose weight is more commonly found in Anorexia, and is usually diagnosed as it.

This disorder is also very closely related to body-image issues, often sprouting from a desire to become skinnier or lighter.

Weirdly enough, although there are quite a few notable differences between Purging Disorder and Bulimia Nervosa, it's not all that rare for the former to be misdiagnosed as Bulimia.

Although the purging does not commonly precede a binge, an individual will often purge themselves after eating a regularly-sized meal, or even a snack, though some people will purge on an empty stomach if the behaviour has become addictive.