[header] How to help a friend with bulimia [title] Realize that bulimia is a mental condition. [step] While it's most commonly found in teenage and young adult women, both men and women can be bulimic, at any age. The cause of bulimia is thought to be an inability to deal with painful or overwhelming emotions. 
[substeps] Binging, or overeating, helps a bulimic person to calm themselves. It may help them feel less angry, unhappy, or lonely.