One of the behaviours used in the eating disorder Bulimia Nervosa is vomiting/purging. People who suffer from bulimia may use vomiting as a way to punish themselves for eating and vomit as an attempt to rid themselves of the food they have just consumed. This behaviour is a very dangerous one and a lot of people are not even aware of the symptoms that you can get from forcing yourself to vomit

                                   
Perceived benefits of vomiting
People with bulimia are not vomiting for no reason. They perceive that vomiting will have some kind of benefit to them with some of those being-

• Feeling thinner after vomiting
• Anxiety caused by eating is removed
• Loss of calories
• A coping stratergy to deal with difficult emotions

In reality only about half of the calories binged are lost through vomiting as retching can cause the food to go further, it is a very dangerous method to use. Vomiting is not something the body should be doing regularly. The body vomits when it has a virus or bacteria and needs to get rid of it. Vomiting regularly can put a strain on the body.

The costs of vomiting.

• Tooth erosion and decay- The high acid in vomit can cause the teeth the erode and decay. 
• Sore mouth and throat - Acid in the vomit can cause the oesophagus to tear or become irritated. A sign of this may be blood in the vomit.
• Heartburn and acid reflux- Can both be caused due to the acid in the vomit. 
• Swelling of the face- salivary glands swell causing swelling and puffiness to the face
• Tiredness- People can become lethargic and lose energy due to the loss of vital minerals through vomiting.
• Hunger increase- Due to getting rid of some of the food you have just eaten it can lead to becoming hungry again.
• Abdominal cramps
• Water and salt imbalances and electrolyte imbalance can cause damage to the heart, muscles and brain. Kidney function can also be affected and in severe cases of bulimia it can be life threatening as it can cause heart attacks.
• Lining of gullet can ulcerate and bleed and could become life threatening if a haemorrhage occurs.