Anorexia and Bulimia

Anorexia is a disease that has to do with how the person perceives their weight. People affected by anorexia see themselves as fat even though they may be extremely thin. It primarily affects, but is not limited to, females. About 20% of the people who become affected by anorexia will eventually die from the disease. Individuals affected by this disease are usually very secretive about it, they engage in an enormous amount of calorie burning physical activity, and avoid food.

Anorexia requires immediate medical treatment, including psychological help. It is not as simple as telling the person to eat more, because their perception is affected. Many anorexics, about 50%, also develop bulimia. Keep in mind that this is a psychological disease. In treating the disease, along with the help of a psychologist, the person needs to reestablish proper eating habits, proper weight, and to deal with the issues that contributed to the onset of the disease.

Warning signs include:

• An irrational fear and preoccupation with weight gain and being fat.
• An obsession with becoming thinner, no matter how thin they may already be.
• Dramatical weight loss and refusing to acknowledge it.
• Meal skipping, not joining others during meal times.
• For females, missing 3 consecutive menstrual periods, referred to dysmenorrhea.
• The regular use of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Isolation of family and friends.

Anorexia will affect the person in physical ways, such as:

• constant tiredness.
• Sensitive to heat.
• Kidney failure, which may be caused by dehydration.
• Hair loss.
• Lowered immune system.

Bulimia is an eating disorder that involves gorging on food worth thousands of calories, then purging, and following with periods of no eating. The person may also use laxatives and diuretics, and the condition can go on for years. It is an illness which primarily affects females but it is not exclusive.

Warning signs of bulimia can include:

• Poor body image.
• Eating large amounts of food with no change in weight (because others do not see the skipping of meals.
• Trips to the bathroom (to induce vomiting) after meals.
• Very rigid exercise program
• Tooth deterioration, caused by stomach acid from vomiting.

The main treatment for bulimia involves tackling the underlying psychological issues that may have contributed to it. Of course proper lifestyle habits also need to be reestablished.