Bulimia: theoretical conceptualizations and therapies

Bulimia, a new entry in our system of nomenclature, has become more prevalent during the past decade and has stimulated a considerable amount of research. It still remains a theoretical and therapeutic puzzle in spite of a variety of efforts to conceptualize it. Treatment approaches are multitudinous and sometimes conflicting, partly due to problems in definition of the disorder, and the role of psychoanalysis is still unclear. This paper surveys current information on bulimia with an emphasis on social, psychological and psychoanalytic theories of its causation and their application to treatment.