Parents, the subject matter of this post is not pleasant but it is crucial that you have an understanding of it so that you might be able to help a child.
We all know that bullying is carried out through the use of intimidation and humiliation. Sadly, many of the victims of bullying are chosen because of weight issues.
There are growing numbers of teens who have developed an eating disorder called bulimia as a result of being bullied. People who suffer with bulimia compulsively purge or more simply put, they make themselves vomit after eating. They hope that by purging after eating, they won’t gain weight.
Eating disorders can develop as a result of poor self esteem and or poor body image. Therefore, adding the stress of bullying to the scenario can result in “bullying bulimia.”
Bulimia can be dangerous for many reasons. One reason is that after time, the bulimic person can no longer hold food down, even if that is the desire. Because this, they often vomit in their sleep. When this happens, the person can literally drown in his or her own vomit.
If your child has a poor body image and is being bullied, please make sure that you talk with them about eating disorders and in particular bulimia. If you suspect your child might be purging, please seek professional help.
Photo: Marta Crowe
