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Eating Disorders
What are the symptoms?
The main symptom of anorexia nervosa is self-induced starvation. The main symptom of bulimia nervosa is binge eating with purging. The main symptom of binge eating is out of control eating without purging. These disorders may become a compulsive addiction such as alcoholism. Most patients with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder report psychological impairments (mainly depression), shame, guilt, and withdrawal from social events.
Because many people are concerned about their weight, most people diet at least once in a while; however, it may be difficult to distinguish between normal dieting behaviors and abnormal dieting behaviors that could develop into a serious eating disorder. Not every individual will show all of the characteristics listed below for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, but people with eating disorders may clearly show several of them.
Signs of anorexia nervosa may include the following:
- Intentional self-starvation associated with weight loss
- Intense, persistent fear of gaining weight
- Refusal to eat, except tiny portions
- Pretending to eat and trying to hide that you are not eating from others
- Continuous dieting
- Excessive facial/body hair due to inadequate protein in diet (malnutrition)
- Abnormal, rapid weight loss
- Hair loss - mainly on the head
- Dry, cracked, or discolored skin
- Sensitivity to cold temperatures
- Absent or irregular menstruation
Signs of bulimia nervosa may include the following:
- Constantly thinking about food
- Binge eating, usually in secret
- Vomiting after binging
- Abuse of laxatives, diuretics, diet pills
- Denial of hunger
- Denial of induced vomiting
- Swollen salivary glands
Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are closely related and several characteristics of the two eating disorders often overlap.
Signs associated with both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa may include the following:
- Poor body image (constant thoughts of thinness)
- Malnutrition
- Anxiety
- Lethargy (sluggish, inactive, or slow moving)
- Decreased concentration
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation/diarrhea
- Bloating
- Compulsive exercise (a person feels compelled to exercise and struggles with guilt and anxiety if she or he doesn't exercise)
If continued, the starving, binge eating, and purging can lead to irreversible physical damage and even death. Eating disorders can affect every cell, tissue, and organ in the body. The following is a list of some of the physical and medical dangers associated with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
- Malnutrition (can lead to loss of muscle and bone density [osteoporosis] resulting in dry, brittle bones)
- Severe dehydration, which can result in kidney failure and chemical imbalances (can lead to seizures, irregular heartbeats and possibly heart failure and death)
- Tearing of the esophagus from excessive vomiting
- Chronic irregular bowel movements and constipation as a result of laxative abuse
- Potential for a ruptured stomach during periods of binge eating
- Tooth decay and gum erosion from stomach acids released during frequent vomiting
- Irregular menses or absence of menstruation
- Abnormally low blood pressure
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What are the symptoms?
