Bulimia is an eating disorder in which someone eats a lot of food in a short amount of time and then purges the food from the body using vomiting, laxatives, pills, or liquids that increase how quickly food moves through the body. Bulimia is more than just a problem with food -- it often has roots in psychological problems. Although there is no single known cause of bulimia, some factors that may play a role in its development include biology, culture, personal feelings, and stressful life events or life changes. Treating bulimia involves confronting the underlying psychological issues as well as teaching a person how to eat normally again. A few types of therapy that have worked to help people with bulimia include individual, group, and family therapy. Also, a class of medicines also used for the treatment of depression has been effective when used in conjunction with therapy.