Bulimia nervosa (commonly known as bulimia) is an eating disorder and serious mental health problem. It is characterized by episodes of eating a large amount of food in very short periods of time, with a feeling that there is no control of this behavior. It is an irresistible compulsion. Following binges, there is the impulse to compensate for the behavior by purging – and this might include vomiting, induced by one’s finger or taking some medication, or going on a long run.