What eating disorder is marked by binge eating and subsequent purging?

Study for the Swift River Mental Health Exam. Study with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each question includes hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Bulimia is characterized by cycles of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors, such as purging, fasting, or excessive exercise, to prevent weight gain. Individuals with bulimia often feel a lack of control during binge episodes and may experience significant distress about their eating patterns. The purging aspect can involve methods such as self-induced vomiting or the misuse of laxatives.

In contrast, anorexia involves extreme restriction of food intake and an intense fear of gaining weight without engaging typically in binge-purge cycles. Binge Eating Disorder is marked by regular binge eating without subsequent purging, which is distinctly different from bulimia. Orthorexia is an obsession with healthy eating and not officially recognized as a clinical eating disorder, focusing instead on the quality of food rather than the behaviors associated with bingeing and purging. Thus, bulimia is the only disorder from the choices provided that explicitly includes both binge eating and purging as defining features.

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