Self-starvation, eating until the point of malaise and forcing regurgitation are the signs of anorexia and bulimia. Just medical science has found bulimia to be a genetic disorder medical experts speculate that anorexia may have some of the same genetic components.

Nevertheless a recent study released in the Journal of General Psychiatry determined anorexia was more than 50 percent determined by genetics and the socio-environment accounting for the other half. The genetic link has stirred significant controversy amongst medical researchers.

Certain skeptics have questioned the need for bulimia to be treated as another psychiatric disorder. The doubters contend that the temporary act of eating may be normal response to the availability of food abundance. On the contrary, others argue that the bulimic diagnosis is an authentic mental disorder. Binge eating can swing the spectrum of dieting to eating in excesses.

Similar to anorexia, the highs and lows of binge eating make the sufferer feel low self esteem. The regurgitation puts the bulimic back in control. Sufferers of anorexia and bulimia require learning new eating habits to heal. Many medical specialists teach their patients to approach food consumption based on the body's natural cues of hunger and satiation.

The symptoms of bulimia include the following:

Food consumption without hunger

Shameful closet-like eating behavior (alone)

Feelings of shame, guilt, disgust

A depressed state after eating

If any of these eating habits transpire more than twice a week for a minimum of six months, seek professional attention. For more information on anorexia and bulimia the National Eating Disorder organization has a wealth of information, resources, support, treatments centers data, therapists and more.