Anorexia and bulimia are multifaceted diseases. Causes, modes of expression and level of seriousness differ from one case to another. Without pretending to give the keys to solving these often stubborn eating disorders, let's see what the leitmotif are. Because better understanding these “sister” pathologies also means being better able to break the vicious spiral.
A distorted relationship with his image
Particularly affecting adolescent girls, anorexia occurs most often between 14 and 17 years old. According to Inserm, “eApproximately 20% of young girls adopt restrictive and fasting behaviors at some point in their lives, but only a minority of them become anorexic. ».
For young girls, the transition from childhood to adulthood is difficult to cope with. THE physical changes and the acceptance of his new morphology is biased by a contextual perception.
From puberty, friends begin to compare, both among themselves, and to the deceptive female models who expose themselves in magazines, on posters, or on social networks.
Retouched advertising photographs must now bear this mention. Quid however beautifying filters, which are legion on mobile applications.
Having a slimming effect, they condition young girls in search of benchmarks to integrate thinness as the ultimate criterion of beauty.
The shortcut “the thinner you are, the more beautiful you are” is thus insinuated into young minds. And can tip the most fragile into a obsession with thinness, supposed to make them even more beautiful than thin young girls.
In severe cases, there are eating disorders, including anorexia, which can lead to weight loss sometimes leading to hospitalization.
Mental eating disorders
Symptoms of anorexia
In addition to adolescence, we can be affected by anorexia at all periods of her life as a woman.
Following a personal trauma, a difficult grief to overcome, a depressive episode, a separation, or “simply” because we are no longer in harmony with our body.
If a woman stops eating as she should, it is a question of distinguishing between temporary problems, which may resolve as they arise, or of knowing whether there is reason to worry about the persistence of these disorders.
Note that beyond 5 years of anorexia or bulimia, the disorder is said to be chronic.
Symptoms of bulimia
Bulimia generally results from same causes, but will not manifest in the same way.
If the link between anorexia and bulimia is one dysfunctional eating habits and altered physical perception, this second pathology is different and pernicious in that it can lead to weight gain.
Indeed, conversely anorexia, this eating disorder is not based on restrictive eating, but excessive.
The patient eats compulsively, not for gustatory pleasure, but for fill a feeling of emptiness such that it needs to “fill” to overflowing.
are vomiting are the daily lot of bulimics, whether they are the body's natural response to an overflow effect, or whether they are caused by bulimia itself.
Less widespread and more deadly than anorexia, bulimia is equally devastating.
Warning signs of an eating disorder
Whether we talk about anorexia or bulimia, these are pathologies that can be ignored for a long time, or masked by stratagems.
A deep malaise
The evil being psychological, the imagination of victims of eating disorders is limitless.
Often, those around them only become aware of the existence of the problem when it is already installed and the thinness is evident.
It is essential to not to feel guilty for not having been able to detect these particularly pernicious pathologies.
Avoidance strategies
The patient pretends food poisoning to explain her nausea, to have already eaten when nothing has happened, or conversely assures that she will eat later, eats as if nothing had happened before discreetly taking a laxative.
Food deprivation
The difficulty for parents or loved ones is to be vigilant about potential warning signs eating disorders, without targeting the adolescent in a fragile situation.
There strict food deprivation that the latter is imposed will last months, even years.
Its consequences have a domino effect and it may be good to take them as an example when we wish to start the dialogue.
Weight loss and body changes
The first is the weight loss, resulting from the reduction in muscle and fat mass. This of course leads to a severe fatigue but, also more serious evils, among which stopping menstruation or amenorrhea.
In the register of other symptoms we can mention weakening nails, pale complexion, discolored lips, deepening dark circles, hair loss, or even teeth in extreme cases... So many arguments that counter the one with which it all begins: want to be more beautiful.
What treatments for bulimia and anorexia?
Join a disorder treatment center
Little by little, the person suffering from eating disorders begins to social circle cup, renounces certain passions, physical activity.
Make him integrate a center dedicated to the treatment of disorders from which she suffers can be a beneficial solution, in order to make her realize the harm she is doing to herself and to get her out of an unhealthy routine.
THE alternative therapies such as sophrology, hypnosis or meditation also offer a complementary avenue for reconnect with yourself.
Reconnect with yourself and your image
Pay attention to certain artistic or sporting practices, where one can quickly fall into extreme thinness due to the need to be light weight.
This is particularly the case for female jockeys, who want to be as light as possible so that their mounts gain speed, but also ballerinas or, of course, models and actresses.
Concerning this last category, oh so inspiring for certain adolescent girls, it is important to remember that when a woman loses weight for a role, she benefits from a rigorous medical supervision and it remains dangerous.
Actor Matthew McConaughey made an impression by putting his health on the line on the set of Dallas Buyers Club film for which he lost 25 kg in a dazzling way and, briefly, the view.
This sudden, but fortunately reversible, blindness was caused by a deficiency in vitamin A intake. The prize: an Oscar® for his performance, but also a good scare.
Long-term support
Anorexia and bulimia are insidious ailments since the victim suffers the situation by feeling trapped by these eating disorders.
Deprived of its nutrients and essential vital contributions, the body, by definition, becomes devitalized. Follow-up by a nutritionist and treatment by a psychiatrist is essential.
It is estimated that approximately half of the cases treated recover.
Once signs of improvement appear, care must be taken to consolidate progress and to proceed in stages to replenish oneself, in order to make a gradual return to normal.
Find a healthy weight cannot be done with the snap of a finger and the important thing is not to rush things.
With regard to these pathologies, the expression “to enjoy life to the fullest” has a very special resonance.
This is what we are aiming for, ensuring that patience and solid support allow you to reestablish a healthy relationship with food, to enjoy life like everyone else and to free yourself from an eating disorder
