Question

Beth, aged 18, has been trying to keep a secret from her family and friends. She is a binge eater. When others are not around, she gorges on food and then purges by vomiting or using laxatives. Beth is suffering from which disorder?

• A. Anorexia Nervosa
• B. Body Dysmorphic Disorder
• C. Bulimia Nervosa
• D. Conduct disorder

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Beth's behavior of gorging on food and then purging by vomiting or using laxatives is indicative of a psychological eating disorder. To determine which specific disorder she is suffering from, we need to analyze the characteristics of the given options: 

1. Anorexia Nervosa: This disorder is characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image, leading individuals to severely restrict food intake and significantly lose weight. It does not typically involve binge eating followed by purging.
2. Body Dysmorphic Disorder: This disorder involves an obsessive focus on perceived flaws in physical appearance, which are often minor or not observable to others. It does not involve patterns of eating and purging.
3. Bulimia Nervosa: Individuals with this disorder experience episodes of eating large quantities of food (binging) followed by methods to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting or the use of laxatives (purging). This describes Beth's behavior accurately.
4. Conduct Disorder: This disorder is characterized by a pattern of behavior that violates the rights of others or societal norms, including aggression and deceitfulness. It does not relate to eating habits.

From this analysis, the behavior described in Beth's case aligns with Bulimia Nervosa. Therefore, the correct answer is Bulimia Nervosa.

Answer 2

Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by:

Episodes of binge eating, where the individual consumes a large amount of food in a short period.

Feelings of loss of control during these episodes, where the individual feels unable to stop eating even if they want to.

Compensatory behaviors such as vomiting or using laxatives to prevent weight gain after binge eating.

Beth’s pattern of binge eating followed by induced vomiting and laxative use strongly indicates Bulimia Nervosa. This disorder involves a cycle of overeating followed by purging behaviors, often driven by an intense desire to control weight and body image.