I knew a cheerleader who was bulemic. She made herself throw up everyday, after every meal. Nobody knew about it until it was too late. One day at lunch time, she ate her normal meal, then as usual disappeared to the girls' room. We all assumed it was to fix her make-up, because everytime someone would go in to talk to her, she was there with her cosmetics bag touching up her face. This time was different. She didn't return to the table like always, and it was time to return to class. One of the other girls went to check on her, and came out screaming for a teacher. The cheerleader, we'll call her "tiffany", was unconscious on the bathroom floor bleeding from her mouth and nose and just barely breathing. She was covered in vomit. The teacher assumed she must've been epileptic, had a seizure, and passed out.
She was taken to the hosptial. Tests were run, a couple of days went by, and finally the school had an assembly to address the incident. "tiffany" was bulemic, and in her last vomitting spell, she had burned a hole right through her esophagus from the stomach acid. This was the exact same thing that took the life of a wonderful singer from the 70's - karen carpenter.
I haven't seen or heard anything from that girl since it happened. She never returned to school, and none of her friends have heard from her family either. We don't know if she survived the incident or if she died. She was all of 16 when it happened. A beautiful, intelligent, popular cheerleader... But not smart enough to have known what the consequences were and that perfection isn't everything.
The point is, if you are having pains in your throat, chest, or stomach, any signs of bleeding, or if you know anybody with these symptoms, please - don't wait till it's too late. Tell qomeone now. Get help, whether it's for yourself or someone else. It'll mean the difference between life and death.