Bulimia In Adolescents

Bulimia has become in recent years a familiar term, associated, almost always with young people. If everything were as simple as wrapping yourself in a cocoon and waking up as an adult… But we all must go through adolescence, a stage in which the body undergoes many changes and the psyche as well.

Bulimia is an eating disorder. It is characterized by consuming large amounts of food in short periods of time and then eliminating it by causing vomiting or using laxatives as a compensatory method.

Likewise, long periods of fasting, intense physical exercise or saunas are often used to lose body fluid. The fear of gaining weight is the cause of this behavior, accompanied by depressive symptoms, feelings of guilt and loss of control. Nine out of ten people with bulimia are women.

The terrible consequences of bulimia

Over time, this mental illness can have serious physical consequences, such as stomach bleeding, loss of tooth enamel, damage to the esophagus, fainting, hair loss, mouth injuries, menstrual disturbances, and damage to the heart and kidneys. . It is estimated that 5% of those who suffer from it even die.

On a psychological level, the results are also usually quite serious.  They range from anxiety, depression, and difficulty establishing relationships, to substance abuse and suicide attempts.

Symptoms and signs of bulimia

Rava and Silber (2004) make a list of the symptoms and signs of bulimia. According to the authors, the symptoms found in bulimia are the following :

• Irregularity in menstruation.
• Esophageal burning
• Nonspecific abdominal pain.
• Feeling of lethargy
• Abdominal distension.
• Fatigue.
• Headaches.
• Diarrhea and / or constipation.
• Swelling of the hands and feet.
• Throat pain.
• Depression.

On the other hand, according to Rava and Silver, the signs of bulimia are as follows :

• Calluses on the hands.
• Hypertrophy of the salivary glands.
• Erosion of tooth enamel.
• Periodontal diseases.
• Cavities.
• Facial petechiae.
• Perioral irritation.
• Oral ulcers.
• Hematemesis.
• Edema.
• Abdominal distension.

The importance of an early diagnosis

The importance of detecting bulimia in adolescence is that the earlier it is diagnosed and treated, the easier it is to cure. If not, it tends to become a chronic disorder: an estimated 20% of patients continue to struggle with this condition after 10 years.

Although it is true that a person, to be diagnosed as bulimic, must have developed this type of behavior for at least three months, it is important to be attentive to any type of behavior that indicates the presence of this eating disorder.

Those who suffer from bulimia tend to hide it very well because they feel ashamed of their eating practices and, when it is finally diagnosed, it is already part of their lifestyle.

How is it treated?

Treatment to combat this disorder is generally complex. In the past, patients were often hospitalized to control their eating habits and end the binge-eating and purging patterns, but the problem was not nipped in the bud and symptoms would reappear after a while.

Currently, treatment includes psychotherapy and group therapy, often accompanied by antidepressants such as fluoxetine.

The patient perceives reality differently. The person suffering from bulimia has a distorted image of their body and has no idea what are normal and healthy food portions, so anxiety control and psychotherapy play an important role.

Sometimes it may be necessary to resort to pharmacological treatments, from anxiolytics or antidepressants to mood stabilizers and even antipsychotics. and always under close medical supervision.

Some studies indicate that those who suffer from bulimia have an overproduction of testosterone (a predominant hormone in the male body, but it is also present in the female body) and that the use of contraceptive pills (which contain estrogen) helps alleviate the symptoms. But it is something that is still under discussion.

We cannot, unfortunately, ignore the changes we go through during adolescence as we would in the safety of a cocoon. However, we can be alert to the signs of bulimia, to grow with a healthy mind in a healthy body.

Image courtesy of Evil Erin.