Do you find yourself eating uncontrollably and struggling to manage your diet? A Bulimic Episode or Gluttony? Where do we draw the line? Chances are, you’ve already done quite a bit of research. Maybe you’ve read articles or listened to advice, trying to understand exactly what’s going on and how you can cope with it. And somewhere along the way — lost in the flood of information — you may have ended up more confused than when you started: frustrated, caught between conflicting opinions.
Johns Hopkins Medicine, a leading health system and academic institution, reports that:
”Bulimia is a serious illness that causes severe problems with a person’s eating behaviors. It is marked by uncontrolled episodes of overeating… followed by purging with methods such as vomiting…”. Is this accurate? Quite often, a complex web of information makes it even harder for people to break free from it permanently. The term “bulimia nervosa” is often used simply as “bulimia”, which calls for caution on our part so that we understand exactly what is being described in each case.
A bulimic episode — or simply bulimia, as it is often called — is not merely an occasional outburst of gluttony. Moreover, a single episode of bulimia does not necessarily indicate the presence of an eating disorder, such as bulimia nervosa.
How do we distinguish a bulimia episode from overeating
For many people, an episode of overeating is harmless — a deviation from their usual eating routine, an innocent indulgence, perhaps unrestrained and excessive, but without any real impact on their lives. For others, however, it marks a loss of control overeating. A bulimic episode is not simply a case of gluttony, like the kind many of us have occasionally experienced, nor is it just a matter of increased appetite. According to Christopher Fairburn, a respected authority in the field of eating disorders, the failure to understand this distinction is at the heart of the confusion surrounding this behavior.
According to the second edition of Springer’s Encyclopedia of Food and Agriculture Ethics, gluttony is a synonym for overeating and refers to the excessive consumption of food (or drink), either as an isolated act or as a fixed behavior. It does not simply refer to eating too much at on a single occasion, but often describes a character who systematically overindulges in food (or drink). In ancient Greece, philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle understood gluttony as a sign of weakness of restraint, which prevents the cultivation of reason and virtue. In Orthodox Christianity, gluttony is considered a passion that distances the believer from the Lord, which is why the Redeemer warns against gluttony: «Προσέχετε εαυτοίς μήποτε βαρυνθώσιν υμών αι καρδίαι εν κραιπάλη και μέθη… και αιφνίδιος εφ᾽ υμάς επιστή η ημέρα εκείνη» (Luke 21:34) in translation: “Take care of yourselves, lest your hearts be burdened with dissipation and drunkenness… and that day suddenly come upon you”. Eating is not wrong; the wrong is gluttony: eating and drinking to excess.
Episodic overeating is classified as a bulimic episode (binge eating) when two basic conditions are met: first, eating significantly more food than the average person would eat in the same amount of time (usually within two hours); and second, a strong sense of loss of control over the amount of food eaten. Loss of control is a key feature of bulimic episodes, often considered more important than the amount of food.
For example, Anna confesses the following: “I ate very little throughout the day, and in the evening, I was going to have toast. I had been thinking about this moment all day. I start with the toast. I eat it quickly, almost without chewing it. I make sure to be alone in the kitchen. And right after that, I get up and eat plain bread. Sometimes I put jam or butter on it — things that no one else in the house eats, so they won’t notice their absence. I even add salt sometimes. I eat whatever I can find, without serving it. I eat it standing up. Then I realize I’ve lost control. I only stop when I run out of bread or when my stomach starts to hurt. I feel so bloated that I become lethargic. Later, I feel disgusted, exhausted, and full of guilt, shame, and anger with myself.” She continues, “I’m tired of being ruled by this habit every time the in-laws cause me stress”.
On the other hand, Anthony states: “Father organised a nice Sunday dinner for the relatives who came to the village for a summer holiday. We ate from noon until late afternoon. When everyone left, I don’t know what got into me – I started eating the leftover meat. I kept going, I even ate the salads. I had lost control; I ate as much as five people, but I felt good about it. I don’t know what got into me, but it was like last Easter, when I ate a whole bun and several eggs”.
When are Bulimia Episodes a Problem?
As an isolated symptom, bulimia episodes can occur in various physiological or pathological conditions. Most people who consume large amounts of food, exceeding the limits of simple gluttony, are not necessarily having an eating disorder. Bulimic episodes are isolated incidents, usually accompanied by a pleasant mood, and do not have a significant impact on their quality of life. They are a common phenomenon, particularly among adolescents and young adults (see the example of Anthony). However, in some cases, these episodes can be a risk factor for the development of an eating disorder (e.g., binge eating disorder); therefore, they should not always be considered harmless or insignificant.
On the other hand, there are many people whose bulimia episodes follow a persistent pattern that is disturbing and has a greater negative impact on their quality of life (see the example of Anna). Their bulimia episodes are frequent, cause stress, and are capable of damaging their physical health. These individuals suffer from a food intake issue, and these episodes are an indication of a possible eating disorder.
In Conclusion
✗ Eating a lot of food alone does not necessarily mean that it is a bulimia episode. To qualify as such, there must be a sense of loss of control during eating and the episode must occur within a specific time frame, usually within two hours.
✗ A bulimia episode does not necessarily mean that it is a problem or an eating disorder, such as bulimia nervosa, for example.
✗ A bulimic episode, in itself, does not include purging behaviours (such as vomiting) in its definition. Such behaviours are sequelae of the bulimic episode in the context of eating disorders, as in bulimia nervosa, for example.
Silence is not the answer
If your bulimia episodes are affecting your well-being and happiness, remember that you are not alone. You don’t have to carry this burden without help. Very often, there are people in your family or friends who are willing to stand by your side and support you on the path to meaningful and lasting change. Don’t hesitate to share your difficulty—the first step is to talk about it.
What’s next: The Link Between Diet and Bulimia Episodes
The next article in this topic will examine the link between Diet and Bulimia Episodes, and the crucial role diet plays in both the onset and maintenance of many bulimia problems.
Palikroussis L. Thomas, Psychologist, MSc, PhD(c)
