HowMuch is Too Much?

Question

Why is occasional purging considered such an unhealthy practice? If you eat more than your body needs you can either let it turn into unhealthy fat or just get it out of your body in 2 seconds. I get it that if you are bingeing first on purpose and then purging that is really unhealthy but is it really so dangerous if you just do it occasionally, like once a month or less, after you eat or drink too much? Hysteria aside and scare mongering aside, how much damage is this really going to do to me? By the way, I have stayed at a healthy weight for my whole adult life and I have purged probably 100 times since I was 15. I am 26, a university graduate without any major issues. I do not lose control.

Jim LaPierre · Accepted Answer

Hi there and thanks for your question. I have no interest in fear mongering or hysteria - I'm a bit perplexed that you seem to see purging as not a big deal - it's a problem for 1 in 4 college aged women in the U.S. It may not be an issue for you, but it certainly is a huge problem nationally.

To answer your question, you're doing a minor amount of damage to your G.I. system, esophagus, and teeth every time you purge. Once a month is something you have control over as you say and I concede that you may very well have it in check. Two thoughts - every person I've ever served who developed an addiction believed at many points that they had control...until they didn't. Secondly, if you were truly comfortable with this, I don't know why you'd rationalize it by explaining that it's ok to purge excess from your body. I wish you well.

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