These are ill-known and rarely taken seriously, yet they are real illnesses. The High Health Authority has just published, in association with the French Federation Anorexia Boulimie, practical fact sheets to help detect and manage bulimia and binge eating, disorders that victims are most often ashamed of.
What are the differences between bulimia and binge eating?
"The two diseases are characterized by the consumption of large quantities of food in very short times with a feeling of loss of control associated with guilt," explains Jean-Philippe Zermati, a nutritionist and psychotherapist. "But the bulimic crisis is followed by compensatory strategies: we will try to cancel the crisis by vomiting, taking drugs, intensive physical exercises." As for the hyperphagia, if it is characterized by a similar crisis, it will not 'is followed by no method of compensation', he explains to the microphone of Europe 1. "Bulimics often have a normal weight or near, while the hyperphagic will have problems of overweight or obesity" .
How to detect them?
"These are diseases that can be easily hidden," says the specialist at the microphone of Europe 1. "These are shameful diseases because they are considered by patients, and often caregivers, as a deficit of will, while they are real diseases, "he insists. "Sometimes it takes years to put your finger on it," adds Arnaud Cocaul, nutritionist. "There may be signs related to vomiting, for example damaged nails by putting them in the mouth, or teeth that damage".
"We must distinguish two situations," says Jean-Philippe Zermati. "On the one hand, we have people who use food to calm emotions of extreme violence, often related to heavy psycho-emotional issues." On the other hand, it may be an excess of control over This will lead to a seizure that can then take the form of overeating or bulimia, "he says.
How to fight against these diseases?
Above all, Jean-Philippe Zermati states that "there is no more to be ashamed of these symptoms than other diseases." This is treated, and in most cases it is maintained by diets or control of the food To make the crisis disappear, it is necessary to make disappear the mental control ", he advocates. A statement also shared by Arnaud Cocaul, nutritionist, who adds to the microphone of Europe 1: "It is necessary to give time to the person to express himself".
"I'm taking drugs for food"
Charlotte was diagnosed with bulimic hyperphagic a year ago at 31 years old. She confided in the microphone of Europe 1. "It may happen to me to cry at home with a packet of chips and tell me that I am shabby," says the young woman. "I'm taking drugs for food, what?" Since her childhood, she regrets the lack of reaction of the medical profession: "I would have liked a doctor can tell me 'attention there is an overweight, maybe it is linked to a disease'. today at 110 kilos, I breathe badly, I drag myself, I can not be pregnant, it's very complicated. In addition to a nutritionist, Charlotte is also followed by a psychiatrist.