Bulimia in adolescents

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

Social pressure, self-esteem problems and other factors can trigger bulimia in adolescents, the most common age at which this eating disorder usually occurs.

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.

In addition, long periods of fasting are usually resorted to, intense physical exercise or saunas 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 who suffer from 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, changes in menstruation 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:

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Irregularity in menstruation. Esophageal burning. Non-specific abdominal pain. Feeling of lethargy. Abdominal distension. Fatigue. Headaches. Diarrhea and/or constipation. Swelling of hands and feet. Sore throat. 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 the tooth enamel. Periodontal diseases. Caries. Facial petechiae. Perioral irritation. Oral ulcers. Hematemesis. Edema. Abdominal distension.

The importance of early diagnosis

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

While 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 indicating the presence of this eating disorder.

Those who suffer from bulimia usually 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.. Previously, the patient used to be hospitalized until his eating habits were controlled and the patterns of bingeing and purging ended, but the problem was not nipped in the bud and the symptoms would reappear after a while.

Currently, Treatment includes psychotherapy and group therapyoften accompanied by antidepressants such as fluoxetine.

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The patient perceives reality differently. The person who suffers from bulimia has a distorted image of his or her body. and you have no idea what normal, healthy food portions are, so anxiety management and psychotherapy play an important role.

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

Some studies indicate that those who suffer from bulimia have an overproduction of testosterone (predominant hormone in the male body, but also present in the female) 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. Nevertheless, Yes, we can be alert to the signs of bulimiato grow with a healthy mind in a healthy body.