Anorexia and bulimia are two of the most common eating disorders. They both involve dangerously unhealthy behaviors around food and exercise, but there are important differences between the two.

Anorexia is an eating disorder in which a person believes they are too fat — no matter what they look like or how much they weigh. To lose weight or maintain a very low weight, people with anorexia eat very little food. They often make themselves throw up, exercise a lot, or take laxatives — this is called purging.

Bulimia is an eating disorder in which a person has episodes of bingeing, or eating a lot of food very quickly. To compensate for this behavior they might throw up, exercise a lot, or take laxatives to avoid gaining weight.

Anorexia and bulimia have some things in common: 

• They usually start during the teenage years

• People of any gender can have them — although girls are more likely to be affected and to get a diagnosis

• People who have them have extreme worries about their weight or body image

  
  

What do anorexia and bulimia look like?

When you think of an eating disorder, you might picture a girl who is super skinny. But people with eating disorders can actually look a lot of different ways.

People who have anorexia are often extremely thin — but not always. There is also a kind of anorexia called atypical anorexia, where a person who may have been considered overweight loses a lot of weight very fast. They may look healthy to other people, but the extreme weight loss is still dangerous and unhealthy.

 People who have bulimia are usually at a weight that is considered normal or overweight. It can be hard to notice if someone has bulimia just by looking at them because they often do not look unhealthy.

Common signs

People with eating disorders often hide their symptoms. But there are some common signs you can look for if you’re worried that someone in your life might have anorexia or bulimia.

 Common signs of anorexia include:

• Extreme weight loss

• Weighing much less than is normal for their age

• Being very afraid of gaining weight

• Refusing to eat a normal amount of food or going on extreme diets

• Seeing weight as a very important part of their identity

• Purging through throwing up, exercising too much, or using laxatives

• Weak nails or hair loss

• Constipation

• Not having regular periods

Common signs of bulimia include:

• Eating a lot of food in a very short amount of time

• Making up for eating a lot by vomiting, using laxatives, not eating at all, or exercising too much

• Having a self-image that is mostly focused on weight or body image

• Missing a lot of meals

• Rushing to the bathroom right after eating or spending a long time in the bathroom

• Long periods of not eating

• Being secretive about eating

• Physical effects of vomiting, including sore throat, swollen glands, acid reflux, and teeth damaged by stomach acid

A difference in perspective

 There are also some differences in the way that people with anorexia and bulimia tend to see themselves and their bodies.

 People with anorexia are usually proud of trying to lose weight, and they might not believe that they have a problem. It can be difficult to get them to agree to treatment because they don’t see a reason to change their behavior.

 Meanwhile, people with bulimia are more likely to be ashamed of their bingeing and purging. They don’t want to do it, and they might even think it’s disgusting — but they have a hard time stopping. Because they feel so ashamed, it can be hard for them to talk about their behavior and get help.  

Getting help

 Both anorexia and bulimia can be very dangerous, but the good news is that there are effective treatments for them. If you think that you or someone in your life might have an eating disorder, it’s important to get help from a doctor as soon as possible.

 If you’re not sure where to start, you can call the National Alliance for Eating Disorders Helpline at 1-866-662-1235.