# Bulimics Purging into Bags?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bulimics-purging-into-bags/432898>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [January 9, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bulimics-purging-into-bags/432898 "2008-01-09T20:38:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bulimics-purging-into-bags/432898/1 "2008-01-09T20:38:53Z")

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The Intervention thread referenced an episode in which a bulimic would purge into bags, put them all in a box, and then dump them.

Another thread about terrible smells contained a post by a bulimic (or former, or recovering) who had left a bag of vomit in the bathroom while she was on vacation.

What’s the reason for not just purging into the toilet and avoiding such nastyness? I can’t think of any reason whatsoever…and, if you did purge into a bag, why not immediately get rid of it?

Hope this isn’t offensive…I’m just honestly curious.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bulimics-purging-into-bags/432898/2 "2008-01-09T20:40:38Z")

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I’ve never purged, but I think the purpose of puking in bags was hiding it.

When you’re a bulimic, people start to notice you always head to the bathroom after meals.

You can puke undetected in a bedroom into a trashcan, then hide the bags until you can toss them without anyone seeing. All about secrecy.

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**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bulimics-purging-into-bags/432898/3 "2008-01-09T21:00:14Z")

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[QUOTE=myskepticsight]  
I’ve never purged, but I think the purpose of puking in bags was hiding it.

[/QUOTE]

I imagine that’s the reason. There was a made-for-TV movie starring Calista Flockhart as a bulimic- she threw up into Tupperware (and schooled a whole generation of viewers, including Christina Ricci, on how to go about having an ED).