What are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa?

   They are problems of health which manifest themselves as behavioural disorders towards food and which may put life at risk if not treated.

   Mainly women are affected by these health disorders, although men can also suffer from them. They can manifest themselves at any age but adolescents have them more often due to their developmental changes and their search for their own identity. Generally, the beginning of the disorder goes unnoticed.

   Anorexia and bulimia patients share a common preoccupation with getting fat, even if their weight might be normal or below healthy standards. Food becomes the centre of their worries neglecting other aspects of their lives.

   People affected by either anorexia and bulimia show different behavioural patterns. One person may have symptoms of both disorders, either simultaneously or one after the other.

   ANOREXIA NERVOSA is characterised by a fear of getting fat and by a distorted perception of body image. Patients feel and see themselves fat even if they are not. This leads them to behave this way:
• They eats less and less.
• They do strenuous physical exercise, with the sole purpose of getting thin.
• Occasionally, they throw up and/or use diuretics and laxatives.

   These behavioural patterns lead to an excessive loss of weight which may cause, in the initial stages, loss of the menstrual cycle, progressive baldness or dry skin. In advanced stages, malnutrition may lead to heart and blood circulation disorders, serious hormone disorders and others.

   BULIMIA NERVOSA is also characterised by the fear of being fat, but there is also a feeling of loss of control towards food. These patients have compulsive gluttony. To counterbalance these overeating spells they try to induce vomiting and use laxatives in excess. As they feel ashamed of themselves they hide their actions and weight loss is not as apparent, which is why bulimia does not show as clearly.

   In both cases, we must bear in mind that the problem is not the food itself, but the low self-esteem these people have of themselves. It is a MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM WHICH CAN BE TREATED AND MUST BE PREVENTED.

Why do these health problems arise?

   Each society conditions our ailments. Our present society, the fashion industry, mass media and the advertising industry messages, with the industry’s profit in mind, (such as light products, diets, perfect bodies, etc.) spread the principle that being successful equals looking good, and that implies women must be slim.

   Dieting does not necessarily involve a pathological behaviour, but, on the contrary, it is an acceptable every day habit. However, some people, at one time or another, show some pathological features which make them liable to be influenced by the messages mentioned above, and they become obsessed as a result.

   “The way and the time each person EXPERIENCES, FEELS, UNDERSTANDS OR TAKES IN these messages condition him or her to either become ill or not.

   Each person has a different way of facing and solving problems and has a particular opinion of himself/herself because of his/her own character and personality.

    The search for identity amongst adolescents, and the progressive independence and integration in groups outside the family make the young people look for models to identify with, which makes them more vulnerable to fashions.
Physical appearance becomes very important and changes in life style are also present. Food, schedules, etc. are part of these changes. All this is normal, but if teenagers feel that their bodies are an obstacle to their group integration, they become likely candidates to get ill.

   If we pay attention to their development, to their changes, we can do a lot to detect the symptoms and help prevent the disease.

How can we prevent them?

   Prevention means to be alert to different aspects of their lives; as for instance:
• Does he/she have friends?
• Does he/she neglect or not his/her studies?
• Does he/she enjoy what he/she does?
• Is he/she sure of himself/herself?

   ‘Minor problems’ for ourselves can be of vital importance to them, and so they must be respected and listened to. ‘Life is hard’ is not advisable as a solution in this case.

   Family is the natural environment for our development. Conflicts may arise during the process of maturity. These conflicts can be transferred to food disorders. It is within the family where the first symptoms can be detected; therefore, a warm family environment is highly recommended. TO HAVE AND MAINTAIN A FLOW OF COMMUNICATION AMONG THE FAMILY MEMBERS is indispensable to helping detect and solve the conflicts that may arise. This way, the young people will progressively become familiar with their own abilities and also their limitations.

   For some young people saying ‘no’ to food, or inducing vomiting may be ways of expressing their feelings with their bodies, in the absence of a better way to express themselves.

   Anorexia and bulimia are the end product of a process which involves many factors. TO PREVENT MEANS THAT WE MUST GET INVOLVED AND BE ALERT. Teachers, parents, health professionals, friends, club members, and so forth must be alert and help adolescents to be able to solve their own conflicts by themselves in a healthy way.

   If a young person wishes to lose weight perhaps it is a reasonable claim and to lose some would not be a bad idea. Diets, on the other hand, must be carried out under doctor supervision. It might be, though, that discomfort with their body image is an early warning of a malfunction somewhere.