Identify and explain the various other forms of this disorder.
Identify and explain the various other forms of this disorder.
Besides Anorexia Nervosa (which Shreya shows), two other major eating disorders are Bulimia Nervosa and Binge-Eating Disorder.
- Bulimia Nervosa: Repeated episodes of binge eating (consuming an unusually large amount of food with a sense of loss of control), followed by compensatory behaviour such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, fasting, or excessive exercise to prevent weight gain.
- Binge-Eating Disorder: Repeated episodes of binge eating — eating rapidly, eating until uncomfortably full, and feeling guilt or distress afterwards — but WITHOUT the regular compensatory purging behaviour seen in Bulimia Nervosa.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark: Correct identification and brief explanation of Bulimia Nervosa (binge eating followed by compensatory/purging behaviour).
- 21 mark: Correct identification and brief explanation of Binge-Eating Disorder (binge eating without compensatory/purging behaviour).
Hint
Recall the three eating-disorder categories from the chapter — anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating — and note what separates the last two: purging or not.
Quick Oral Answer
Apart from Anorexia Nervosa, eating disorders also include Bulimia Nervosa — binge eating followed by purging behaviour like vomiting or laxative misuse — and Binge-Eating Disorder — binge eating without any purging.
Analysis & Explanation
Eating disorders are a cluster of psychological disorders marked by severe disturbance in eating behaviour combined with distorted body image.
Concept: The NCERT chapter on Psychological Disorders classifies three principal eating disorders. Anorexia Nervosa involves deliberate self-starvation and refusal to maintain a healthy body weight due to an intense fear of gaining weight, despite being underweight — exactly Shreya's presentation. Bulimia Nervosa differs in that the person binges and then purges to undo the caloric intake. Binge-Eating Disorder shares the binge phase with bulimia but lacks the purging/compensatory phase, often resulting in weight gain rather than weight loss.
Exam trap: Students frequently blur the line between Bulimia Nervosa and Binge-Eating Disorder because both involve binge eating. The examiner is testing whether the student can isolate the single distinguishing feature — presence versus absence of compensatory behaviour.
Real-world relevance: Recognising these distinctions matters clinically because treatment approaches differ — Bulimia Nervosa often needs intervention for the purging behaviour's physical complications (electrolyte imbalance, dental erosion), while Binge-Eating Disorder treatment focuses more on impulse control and emotional regulation around food.
Common Mistakes
- 1Confusing Bulimia Nervosa with Binge-Eating Disorder — the key differentiator is the presence (bulimia) or absence (binge-eating disorder) of compensatory purging behaviour.
- 2Re-describing only Anorexia Nervosa instead of naming the OTHER forms the question specifically asks for.
- 3Omitting the compensatory behaviours (vomiting, laxatives, fasting, excessive exercise) that define Bulimia Nervosa, giving an incomplete 1-mark answer instead of full 2 marks.
Interesting Facts
Binge-Eating Disorder was only formally recognized as its own diagnostic category in DSM-5 (2013) — earlier editions grouped it under 'eating disorder not otherwise specified'.
Bulimia Nervosa often goes undetected longer than Anorexia Nervosa because sufferers usually maintain a normal or near-normal body weight, making the disorder far less visibly apparent to family members.
Binge-Eating Disorder is now recognised as the most common eating disorder in adults, more prevalent than anorexia and bulimia combined, and affects men considerably more often than the other two.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Bulimia Nervosa and Binge-Eating Disorder?
Both involve recurrent episodes of binge eating with a sense of loss of control, but Bulimia Nervosa additionally involves compensatory behaviours (self-induced vomiting, laxative misuse, fasting, excessive exercise) to prevent weight gain, whereas Binge-Eating Disorder does NOT involve these regular compensatory actions.
Is Anorexia Nervosa the only eating disorder in the CBSE Class 12 Psychology syllabus?
No. The NCERT textbook covers three main eating disorders — Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge-Eating Disorder — each with distinct diagnostic features, though all share disturbed eating behaviour and body-image concerns.
Why doesn't Shreya show signs of Bulimia Nervosa or Binge-Eating Disorder?
Shreya shows weight loss, meal-skipping, and a distorted belief that she is 'too fat' despite being underweight — these are hallmark signs of Anorexia Nervosa's restrictive pattern, not the binge-purge cycle of Bulimia or the binge-without-purge pattern of Binge-Eating Disorder.