Purging Disorder:Symptoms, Side Effects, and Treatment

Symptoms, Side Effects, and Treatment

Purging disorder is similar to anorexia and bulimia but with some key difference. It is an eating disorder when someone vomits after normal food consumption, misuses medications, and fasts to induce weight loss or modify body shape. Any form of eating disorder is considered a serious mental health issue with severe physical consequences. This article discusses the severe effects of purging disorder and how it can cause damage to the kidneys, cardiovascular, and digestive systems, as well as the psychological consequences it can have on an individual.

What is Purging Disorder?

Purging disorder is a type of eating disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of purging behaviours such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives or diuretics, and excessive exercise to control weight or body shape.

Unlike anorexia and bulimia, purging disorder is not that well-known. It is classified as an ‘other specified feeding or eating disorder’. People with purging disorder typically purge after eating small or normal amounts of food. This disorder can lead to serious physical complications.