Anorexia nervosa in other name is called slimmer’s disease or self-starvation syndrome. It happens when a person intentionally refuses to eat enough, leading to a severe loss of body mass.
Symptoms of anorexia
1. Muscle wasting
2. Extreme fear of being fat.
3.Excessive loss of body mass
4. Disturbing of body’s image
Bulimia nervosa in other hands it involves excessive eating followed by efforts to remove food from the body. These efforts involve self- induced vomiting, fasting, excessive exercising or taking drugs that stimulate, emptying of the bowels or excessive urination.
Bulimics usually have a normal body mass and keeps their eating behaviour secret. Hence it may be difficult to tell that they have a problem.
Causes of Anorexia and Bulimia
Both Bulimia and Anorexia have underlined psychological causes, such as depression, low self-esteem and bottled up emotions and the need to fit a contemporary standard of beauty Bulimia and Anorexia mostly affect women.
Effects of Anorexia and Bulimia
The effects of Anorexia and Bulimia are demonstrated by heart problems due to weak cardiac muscles or an imbalance of mineral salts. There is an impaired mental function because the brain lacks an adequate amount of glucose. Victims also exhibit dehydration. During vomiting, the acidic present in the stomach come into contact with the teeth and gums, the eventually causes, serious damage to the gum and erosion of the teeth.
Other effects include anaemia, stomach ulcers, abdominal cramping and inflammation of the gut, irregular or absent menstrual periods and dry skin. Treatment for Anorexia and Bulimia
Anorexia and Bulimia can be treated by resolving the underlying psychological problems, seeing a medical practitioner who can prescribe a way of getting back one’s healthy and making the necessary lifestyle and dietary change.