Eating Disorders - Bulimia Nervosa Effects
In this second article on Bulimia Nervosa we're going to go over
the effects the disease can have on the body and how to treat it.
Bulimia nervosa can have devastating effects on a person's body
if the disease goes unchecked for a long period of time.
The most serious of these is electrolyte imbalances which are
caused by the constant bingeing and purging. These imbalances
can lead to irregular heartbeat. If the problem goes on long
enough this can lead to heart failure and death. The actual
cause of the electrolyte imbalance is because of loss of
potassium and sodium from the body and dehydration because of
the constant purging.
Another serious problem is caused by the frequent vomiting. That
problem is inflammation of the esophagus, which at best can
cause difficulty in breathing and at worst possible rupture.
Another problem people with Bulimia Nervosa suffer from, while
maybe not as serious as the ones mentioned already, is tooth
decay from the frequent vomiting. This decay can eventually lead
to tooth loss. While that may not sound all that terrible, it
has been shown in studies that people who have their own teeth
live longer than people who wear dentures. So this is something
to be concerned about.
Because of the constant laxative use a person suffering from
this disease will eventually have infrequent and irregular bowel
movements and most likely end up suffering from chronic
constipation. This can cause more serious problems down the road
if this condition persists for any length of time.
And finally there is the possibility of gastric rupture because
of the binge eating. This particular problem is very rare, even
in the worst cases of Bulimia Nervosa, but nevertheless the
possibility still exists, especially if the disease goes
untreated for any length of time.
And now, some facts and statistics about the disease itself.
Bulimia Nervosa affects between 1 and 2% of all teenage or young
women. The reason for this is mostly psychological because girls
at this age are very self conscious about their looks and when
they develop this irrational fear that they are too heavy,
resulting in a poor social life and low esteem, they are likely
to fall pray to this disease because of those fears.
About 80% of all patients suffering from this disease are
female. Again, this all goes back to society, especially TV
commercials, convincing young women that they have to be skinny
as rails and look like fashion models if they are going to be
accepted.
The truth is, the majority of people who suffer from this
disease will appear to be of average body weight and will not at
all appear to be fat.
Oddly, many people with Bulimia Nervosa do recognize that they
have a problem. They know that the habits they have picked up of
bingeing and purging are not normal. Yet they are unable to stop
themselves, much like a person who knows smoking is harmful but
can't quit.
Psychiatrists have determined that the onset of the disease is
usually associated with depression, which is usually brought on
by the person feeling inadequate as far as his or her appearance.
In our last article on this subject we'll go over how a person
with Bulimia Nervosa is treated.