Information About Anorexia

Anorexia is a very secretive illness and anorexics often feel ashamed of their behaviour and try to pretend that there is nothing wrong. However, it is obvious when someone is suffering from this disorder because it involves severe weight loss. This weight loss can be so extreme that sufferers may die of starvation. The faster the weight loss, the more dangerous the illness, because the body has no time to adjust and a sufferer can die when their heart simply stops beating.

Weight loss however is not the only symptom of anorexia. There are other signs that someone is suffering from this illness. People with anorexia seem to lose confidence and start to become quieter and more withdrawn than usual, often isolating themselves from their friends and family. They become totally preoccupied with thoughts of food because their body is starving and their mind can focus on nothing but eating. Sufferers find they want to cook complicated meals and then sit and watch the rest of their family eat, while they have nothing. They may also watch cookery programmes on television or read recipe books. Even though they are starving and desperately want to eat, they avoid food at all costs and can seem angry or frightened if offered a meal or snack.

The sufferer has a terrible fear of becoming fat and cannot see how thin they really are. They often start to wear many layers of baggy clothing, not only because they want to hide their body but also because they are very cold. As they are eating no food, they have no fuel to keep their body warm and their feet and hands can turn blue. A fine covering of dark hair called lanugo starts to grow on the sufferer’s chest, stomach, arms and face. This is the body’s way of trying to keep itself warm.

Anorexics often feel physically very ill since their bodies are trying to function without any food. Fainting and dizziness are common problems and anaemia is another side effect of anorexia. Anaemia occurs when there is not enough iron in the blood. This means that the sufferer often feels short of breath and very light headed. Restlessness at night (insomnia) and muscle spasms often occur. They can develop constipation (which is when someone has trouble passing faeces) because they are just not eating enough food to keep their bowels working properly. This leads many anorexics to turn to laxatives (a medicine that causes the bowels to empty more often) and they can become addicted to them very quickly.

There are many emotional as well as physical changes that occur when someone develops anorexia nervosa. They may find it hard to concentrate and as a person’s weight drops, their brain shrinks in size too. Sufferers often feel moody and irritable and may become snappy with friends and family. Depression is also a common problem that is associated with anorexia and other eating disorders.

Anorexia nervosa is an illness about control. The sufferer feels in control when they restrict the amount of food they eat but the reality is very different. The illness is actually in control of the sufferer because once a person starts down the anorexic road, it is very difficult to turn things around without a lot of help, encouragement, support and love. Anorexia is an addiction and to feel good, the sufferer needs to cut down on more and more food every day. A lot of anorexics also try to exercise as much as possible, often running everywhere rather than walking normally.

Anorexia nervosa is sometimes called the ‘slimmer’s disease’. I believe this is an unfair description because it is very rare for people to develop anorexia simply because of a desire to lose weight. At least 75% of the people who develop this illness have never been overweight and so there have to be other reasons why these disorders start.

I have mentioned just a few of the changes that occur when a person suffers from anorexia. There are many more serious and life threatening risks such as heart and kidney failure, as well as serious damage to the stomach and intestines. So it is very important to seek medical help if you have started to have problems with food.

Information About Bulimia

Like anorexia, bulimia is a very secretive illness but unlike anorexia, it can be hidden from the outside world since sufferers are frequently a normal weight. Many anorexics fear that they will turn from anorexia to bulimia as they recover and start eating. Although some people suffer from both bulimia and anorexia, they are in fact two separate illnesses and research has shown that one does not necessarily lead to the other. Certainly in my case, I suffered from anorexia for fourteen years but never had any bulimic episodes.

Bulimia usually develops later than anorexia. Whereas anorexia is often present in young girls aged between 10 and 16, bulimia rarely takes hold until the late teens.

Unlike anorexics, who maintain a strict control over their food intake, bulimics find it harder to limit the amount of food they eat. Quite often, feelings of hunger cause them to binge on large quantities of the food they so desperately want. This is the food that they have denied themselves while on their ‘restricted’ diet. It is usually high in fat and sugar such as chocolate, cookies and crisps. A binge can last for a long time but on average, bulimics say they binge for around two hours. During that time a large amount of food can be eaten, for example as much as 30,000 calories during just one binge. This is the equivalent of about 15 days food.

Many bulimics say they feel totally out of control during a binge and simply force extra food into their mouths without even tasting what they are eating. It is not unheard of for bulimics to eat frozen or uncooked food, stale food from dustbins or even pet food.

Following a binge, bulimics usually suffer tremendous guilt as well as physical pain from the large amounts of food they have eaten. This guilt, together with a fear of gaining weight, leads the sufferer to find ways of getting rid of the food they have so recently eaten. Self-induced vomiting is common and is when sufferers force themselves to be sick. Some people may take medicines called emetics to make themselves vomit. This is a VERY dangerous thing to do and MUST be avoided. Another method used to dispose of the food is purging. This is when bulimics take laxatives and/or diuretics (which increase the number of times a person passes urine) to cause food and drink to pass through their body much faster. Both vomiting and purging are extremely dangerous ways of ‘dieting’ and can lead to serious medical problems or even death.

Although bulimia nervosa is the most hidden of all the eating disorders, there are telltale signs that show a person is suffering from this illness. Their skin often has a pale green tinge due to the constant vomiting. Teeth can also suffer and frequent dental appointments may be needed. When a person vomits, their teeth come into contact with stomach acid, which is very harmful. Tooth enamel is gradually worn away until the teeth themselves start to decay. Many sufferers brush their teeth immediately after vomiting, to remove any telltale smell on their breath. However, this is unwise because it spreads the acid around all the teeth. Rinsing with antiseptic mouthwash or fresh water is considered a safer option although this is still unlikely to stop the decay caused by vomiting.

Small red spots appearing around the eyes due to broken blood vessels are another sign of bulimia. A puffiness of the cheeks (often known as “chipmunk cheeks”) can occur because of the constant vomiting. The sufferer’s throat is usually sore and mouth ulcers can form. Stomach and bowel problems may also be very common, due to both the vomiting and purging. In addition, the sufferer’s hair often starts to fall out although doctors are unsure why. As with anorexia, there are also long-term effects such as bone damage caused by a change in the level of female hormones in the body. Bulimia can affect a woman’s monthly period and it may become heavier and irregular.

Depression, moodiness and irritability are also symptoms of bulimia. Obviously there are exceptions to every rule but there are certain characteristics bulimics tend to have. They are often bubbly, warm and social people but can change when they are trying to cope with their feelings after a binge. They may become irrational, angry, withdrawn or depressed. This means they often have stormy relationships with friends and family, as their moods can prevent people getting close to them.

Bulimics often feel confused about their feelings and emotions. They no longer eat simply because they are hungry but to fill an emotional need instead. For them there are only extremes. They are either totally empty and starving hungry, or uncomfortably full following a binge. Recovery from bulimia is all about learning to eat a normal amount each day without feeling a need to vomit.

Like anorexia, bulimia is a very dangerous illness that requires medical attention and it is very important to contact a doctor if you are exhibiting any of these symptoms.

Information About Other Eating Disorders

There are a lot of people who suffer from problems with food, who are not fully anorexic or bulimic. They do not have all the symptoms of these two illnesses but still find that food controls their life in many ways. Thoughts of food, weight and body size affect them daily and because of this, they have chaotic eating habits. People in this group are often said to have an “ED-NOS”, which stands for “Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified”.

It is possible that people with an ED-NOS are developing a more serious eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia. It is therefore important not to dismiss any problems with food as just something that a person will “grow out of” in time. Food worries are often a sign of larger problems that a person may be unable to talk about and they should not simply be ignored by parents, friends or relatives. If the problems around food are dealt with at an early stage, then full-blown anorexia or bulimia may be prevented.

The following are some examples of ED-NOS that have been identified:

A woman or young girl who has all of the symptoms of anorexia nervosa but is still having monthly periods.

• A sufferer who has all the symptoms of anorexia including weight loss but their weight is still normal for their height.

• A sufferer who has all the symptoms of bulimia nervosa except that the bingeing and vomiting (or laxative abuse) takes place less than twice a week.

• A sufferer’s weight is normal for their height but they vomit after eating even a small amount of food.

• A person who chews and spits out large amounts of food rather than swallowing them.

• Binge eating disorder (or ‘compulsive eating’).

• Bulimarexia.

• Compulsive exercising (or ‘activity disorder’)

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