Bulimia And Panic Attack – Part 2

Although a very real physical phenomenon, panic attacks have never killed anyone, never harmed anyone and the attacks always come to an end.

The percentage of people who have both bulimia and panic attacks or other eating disorders varies from study to study. In a study of 114 women in England 64% were found to have both; while a study in Australia found that 21% had both disorders. In a study of 1500 women in Russia an astounding 95% were found to have both conditions. Whatever the percentage of people suffering from both most researchers have found that the anxiety disorder was the first to appear and the eating disorder was soon to follow.

If you have a known anxiety disorder you should know the signs and symptoms of binge eating, anorexia and bulimia so you might recognize the disorder in yourself. The sooner that you receive help the better are the chances of a recovery.

If you have an eating disorder educate yourself about the signs and symptoms of anxiety disorders and panic attacks so that you can seek help for this as well if it’s appropriate.

When a person suffers from both disorders for a long period of time the likelihood that they will recover from the symptoms decreases greatly. The greatest chance for recovery comes in the first several months with the results declining with each passing month thereafter.

Resources:

Vanderbilt University: The Comorbidity of Anxiety Disorders and Eating Disorders

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/AnxietyandEatingDisorders.html

NetDoctor: How Can I Help My Daughter With Her Panic Attacks and Bulimia

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ate/weightandnutrition/203640.html

Bulimia Help: Does Anyone Else Get Panic Attacks

http://www.bulimiahelp.org/community/forums/does-anyone-else-get-panic-attacks

The American Journal of Psychiatry: Cormorbidity of Anxiety Disorders with Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa

http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleID=177216

Comprehensive Psychiatry: Lifetime Anxiety Disorders in Women with Bulimia Nervosa

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8879912

Anxiety and Depression Association of America: Eating Disorders