One in ten cases of anorexia nervosa leads to death from starvation, cardiac arrest, other medical complications, or suicide. Some people with eating disorders refuse to admit that they have a problem and do not get treatment. Family members and friends can help recognize the problem and encourage the person to seek treatment.
People who intentionally starve themselves suffer from an eating disorder called ANOREXIA NERVOSA. The disorder involves extreme weight loss--at least 15 percent below the individual's normal body weight. Many people with the disorder look emaciated but are convinced they are overweight. Sometimes they must be hospitalized to prevent starvation.
People suffering from BULIMIA NERVOSA consume large amounts of food and then rid their bodies of the excess calories by vomiting, abusing laxatives or diuretics, taking enemas, or exercising obsessively. This riddance is called "purging." Many who suffer from bulimia "binge and purge" in secret and are for the most part able to maintain normal or above normal body weight. This allows them to hide their problem from others for years.
Most people with eating disorders share certain personality traits: low self-esteem, feelings of helplessness, and a fear of becoming fat. In both anorexia and bulimia, eating behaviors seem to develop as a way of handling stress and anxieties.
It's been noted that people with anorexia tend to be perfectionists, and many are promising athletes. Anorexics restrict their food, especially carbohydrates, to gain a sense of control in some area of their lives. They haven't learned how to cope with the problems typical of adolescence, growing up, and becoming independent. Controlling their weight appears to offer the advantage of taking control of their bodies and gaining approval from others. It eventually becomes clear to family members or friends that they are dangerously thin and need outside help.
People, who develop bulimia and other binge eating disorders, typically consume huge amounts of food, especially junk food, to reduce stress and relieve anxiety. Depression and guilt always follow binge eating, and purging only brings temporary relief. Bulimics are impulsive and likely to engage in risky behavior such as abuse of alcohol and drugs.
