A recent study has shown that the brains of women with bulimia react differently to food under stress than other women‘s brains and the psychologists who conducted the study found decreased blood flow in bulimic women to a part of the brain involved in self-critical thinking.
This supports the idea they may be using food to avoid dwelling on negative thoughts about themselves, reports the BBC.
Bulimia is an eating disorder and a mental health condition that means people have an abnormal attitude to food and body image and it usually leads to binge-eating and then purging, through vomiting.
Psychologists have long thought that binge-eating is triggered by stress and gives women with bulimia a way of focusing on food, instead of being self-critical.
This Washington-based study is the first to look at what happens in their brains and was published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology and participants were given tests and shown pictures of high-sugar or high-fat food, such as ice cream, pizza or brownies, while having their brains scanned.
To make them stressed, the participants were given an impossible maths problem to solve – then they were shown different photos of sugar and fat-laden food and asked the rate their stress and food craving levels. Although everyone said their stress levels had gone up and down at similar times during the tasks, the brain scans had shown very different results, the researchers said.
For women with bulimia, blood flow to a region of the brain called the precuneus decreased when they looked at food pictures – but in women without bulimia, it increased.
Sarah Fischer, co-author of the study and associate professor at George Mason University, said: “We would expect to see increased blood flow in this region when someone is engaged in self-reflection, rumination or self-criticism.”
The researchers say the decreased blood flow is a sign that thinking about food shuts down thoughts about their own shortcomings in those with bulimia.
Fischer said the findings could help women to control their binge-eating triggers and added: “We found that it doesn’t take much stress to trigger binge-eating. I would love to see if teaching basic emotion-regulation behavioural skills would work for some women.”
The NHS says that people suffering from eating disorders tend to use their eating habits and behaviours to cope with emotional distress, and often have an abnormal or unrealistic fear of food, calories and being fat.
“Because of this fear, people with bulimia nervosa tend to restrict their food intake. This results in periods of excessive eating and loss of control (binge eating), after which they make themselves vomit or use laxatives (purging),” says the NHS.
“They purge themselves because they fear that the binging will cause them to gain weight, and usually feel guilty and ashamed of their behaviour. This is why these behaviours are usually done in secret. Such binge-purge cycles can be triggered by hunger or stress, or are a way to cope with emotional anxiety.”
But, says the National Council for Hypnotherapy, hypnosis gets a person in touch with the reasons why they unconsciously eat.
“Controlling weight with hypnosis is essentially about teaching you to feel good about yourself, whatever size you are. It focuses on making healthy changes to your diet and lifestyle that will remain with you for the rest of your life,” adds the NCH, which has more than 1,800 qualified therapists across the UK who can deal effectively with issues like eating disorders.
The eating disorder charity BEAT suggests people contact their GP is worried about a possible eating disorder and they might, in turn, recommend a talking therapy or medication to help alleviate the issue.
When treating someone with an eating disorder, an NCH hypnotherapist will talk to them to identify the root cause of the disorder. This can help deal with the emotional aspect of the problem and change any negative habits which are in the subconscious of the person.
“The therapist can also help the person who, while thin, might think they are overweight or ugly, to develop a positive self image,” adds the NCH. “They may find they are nourishing themselves with food, rather than love.”
To contact an NCH therapist near you, simply click here and enter your postcode when prompted.