​What are the behavioral differences between anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating? Are there similarities?

A. Differences
1. Anorexia nervosa involves self-starvation; bulimia involves eating large quantities of food and then purging by either vomiting or taking laxatives; binge eating involves bingeing but not purging.
2. Anorexics are dangerously thin; bulimics are usually of normal weight; binge eaters are usually overweight.
3. Anorexics practice a great deal of self-denial, starving and exercising a great deal; bulimics and binge eaters are self-indulgent, impulsive, eat a lot, take drugs or drink alcohol, and steal.
4. Bulimics and binge eaters are often depressed, but anorexics are often euphoric and hyperactive.
5. Bulimia and binge eating are much more common than anorexia--about 4 to 10 times more frequent.
6. Anorexia is life threatening; bulimia and binge eating are rarely life threatening.
7. Anorexics resist treatment, denying that they have a problem; bulimics and binge eaters sometimes seek and rarely resist treatment, admitting that they have a problem.
B. Similarities
1. All three are more common among young women than older women or men of any age.
2. Individuals with any of these eating disorders are likely to have a distorted body image.
3. All are secretive about their eating habits.
4. Behavioral therapies are typically more successful with both than are traditional medical therapies.