A variation of anorexia, bulimia ranges from excessive food consumption to an uncontrollable compulsive cycle of binge eating where extraordinary amounts of any available food, usually high in carbohydrates, can be consumed. Once force-fed, victims are overcome by the need to get rid of what they hate to eat by purging, usually by vomiting, and sometimes by taking massive doses of laxatives. Between these obsessive attacks, most are able to accept some nutrition. While the anorexic person fears gaining weight due to an anticipated loss of control over their eating, and unlike the anorexic person, the typical bulimic individual is not emaciated, but generally maintains a normal body weight and appears to be in fit and healthy. However, the cycle of obsessive purging causes them. deep distress, shame, guilt, self-loathing and social isolation, and many will go to great lengths to hide their “shameful” secret from family and friends. Typical Sufferers Anorexics or bulimics can be of either gender, but the lowest percentage are men. However, the proportion of men is increasing. Most people with the condition come from middle- or high-income families and are usually very intelligent. People with anorexics and bulimia are often perfectionists and have unrealistic expectations. They often lack self-esteem, have a feeling of ineffectiveness and a strong need for approval from others. Causes There is currently no generally accepted view of the causes of anorexia or bulimia. Most authorities believe the problem is psychological in origin, possibly stemming from family and social pressures, or other forms of stress in our modern environment. Where high value is placed on thinness, women are more likely to be judged on their appearance, amid the promotion of high-carb junk food. Often the illness is triggered by a major change in the person's life. Age and Extent Anorexia tends to begin in early adolescence, while bulimia usually occurs in late adolescence and older age groups. Sometimes bulimia develops because of anorexia, but can occur without a history of anorexia. It often persists for many years. We know that girls as young as 8 years old have expressed an unhealthy preoccupation with diet. The scale of the problem is not known, but estimates range from one in a hundred schoolgirls suffering from anorexia to six per cent of Australian women suffering from bulimia. Since bulimia is not an obvious physical condition, the numbers could be much higher. Social Isolation People with anorexia or bulimia have likely felt isolated and friendless for a long time. This may be one of the factors that has contributed to making them believe that they are fundamentally unacceptable people. However, the condition itself increases social isolation. Sick people don't dare let people get too close to them in case their true self, what they