[Studies on bulimia in 30 cases: some characteristics of clinical symptoms]

I studied 30 cases of bulimia according to the criteria of DSM-III. The results are as follows; 1) The onset of their illness ranged from 15-24 years of age, with the average of 18.9. 2) Most of them (26 of 30 cases) had anorexic episodes following their voluntary dieting for beauty or by pressure of their life situations. Then, after about 1 year on the average, their binge eating appeared. 3) They often showed bulimic and anorexic episodes alternatively. If self-induced vomiting started, the cycle of binge eating and vomiting became more rapid. 4) Many of them had depressive symptoms. Some showed various kinds of behavioral problems, e.g., suicidal attempt, stealing, drug abuse, etc. 5) They had fear of fatness almost unexceptionally. But, rejection of maturity emphasized by some psychoanalysts as an important motivation of anorexia nervosa was not observed in our cases. 6) It is suggested that abnormal behavioral patterns including binge eating, and psychopathological characteristics of "Süchtigkeit" for food in bulimic patients, are similar in nature to those of alcoholics.