The battle of bulimia

You expected your teen to be in an ever-fluctuating cloud of emotions, be it anger, excitement or just plain ennui. However, you have recently noticed, with some apprehension, that the youngster is not eating properly, then going on a binge and later spending more time in the bathroom. It is just a phase, you assured yourself.

The answer to your worry might be bulimia. Lady Diana went through it, so did former Pussy Cat Dolls’ singer Nicole Scherzinger; cricketer Andrew Flintoff had it, funny man Russell Brand frequently talks about his experience with it.

The main emotion here is guilt. Overwhelmed by a desire to eat, your teen goes on a binge. He might gulp down many bars of chocolates, burgers or a full meal in a few minutes. Then the guilt surges its head. The frantic desire to lose weight results in purging – either vomiting or using laxatives. The vicious cycle continues. Few people realise that this eating disorder, if not treated at the right time, can be fatal.

The purge and binge loop

It all started as a simple diet for Priya (name changed). However, as the rigid diet progressed, Priya became more preoccupied with food.

“The more you starve your body, the more your body craves the nutrition it requires,” says Dr Ganesh Lokhande of Vedicure Vikroli hospital, who handled Priya’s case. “Once a forbidden food touches their tongue, the victim goes all out and eats as much as they can. Unfortunately, the pleasure that binging brings is short-lived and they are taken over by guilt, following which the purge begins,” rues Dr Lokhande.

The cycle continues as the victim believes that even if she overeats, she always has the option of purging.

“What the victim does not realise is that purging does not help in decreasing weight or reducing fat. The only effect is that your body is being deprived of nutrients,” says Dr Lokhande.

Vomiting reduces only 50% of the calories consumed, while laxatives throw out only 10%, thus having no effect on your overall weight.

The occurrences of this disorder

The trend seen today in India and across the world is that most bulimics are female, and may weigh 5-10 kg more than their ideal body weight, but end up struggling with weight fluctuation. According to a study by J.H Crowther published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, about 1-1.8% of college women met all the criteria for bulimia, and 2.6-3.3% had sub-clinical levels.

The reasons for Bulimia Nervosa are unclear. Anything and everything from admiration for thinness, genetics, family history, and even perfectionism can lead to this eating disorder. Stressful events such as rejection or death can also trigger bulimia in some.

“The portrayal of thin women being good looking in the media is another prominent reason for bulimia,” says Dr Dharini Krishnan, a Chennai-based dietician.

The symptoms and the risks

You might notice that your teen binge eats sometimes, and at other times will refrain from eating. Wanting to eat in private, lack of control over eating, and excessive exercising are also some of the symptoms of bulimia.

“Some physical signs you can look out for are rotting teeth due to exposure from stomach acid from throwing up, frequent fluctuations in weight, scars on the knuckles from sticking fingers down to induce vomiting, etc.,” says Dr Krishnan.

The effects and risks of putting your body through bulimia are many. The frequent purging can bring down the potassium levels in your body, which will lead to kidney failure. The adverse effects also include abdominal pain, swelling in feet and hands, ruptured stomach and oesophagus, broken blood vessels in eyes, etc. Some people use ipecac syrup to induce vomiting. This syrup if used in large quantities can lead to cardiac arrest and heart damage.

The help a bulimic requires

Teens today are very much concerned about their body images and the effect it has on people around them.

“As a parent you need to be alert about your child’s body image opinions. The main consternation that happens today is that parent are not aware of eating disorders. Awareness is the key here,” says Dr Krishnan.

“Talk to your child, offer compassion and love instead of shouting at them. The first phase of treatment involves stopping the binge and purge cycle. Restore your child’s normal eating patterns, and avoid situations that trigger binges,” advices Dr Lokhande.

“Another thing that parents can do is find out the reason behind this emotional upheaval and work to solve it. Once the distress is resolved, half the problem is solved,” adds Dr Lokhande. “Parents need to set an example. Healthy eating, body image trends, everything begins at home.”