Contents:
- Medical Video: Bulimia and Binge Eating in Teens: What We Know and What To Do
- The effect of bulimia on the organ systems of the body
- 1. Central nerve
- 2. The digestive system
- 3. The circulatory system
- 4. Reproductive system
- 5. Integumentary system
Medical Video: Bulimia and Binge Eating in Teens: What We Know and What To Do
Bulimia is an eating disorder in order to get the desired weight. Bulimia is characterized by two of the most prominent behaviors, namely the habit of overeating and regurgitating the food. Bulimia sufferers clearly lack food intake because what is eaten will immediately be released again through vomiting. But apparently, the effect of bulimia is not just that. Almost all of the organ systems in the patient's body are affected. Anything?
The effect of bulimia on the organ systems of the body
1. Central nerve
Aside from being an eating disorder, bulimia is a condition that is included in mental health disorders. Why? Because, bulimics are prone to depression, excessive anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive behavior due to poor eating behavior.
The habit of vomiting food causes the body to release endorphins, which are natural chemicals that make people feel comfortable. This makes the patient more motivated to regurgitate his food out in order to feel comfortable.
But these habits automatically make patients experience a lack of various vitamins. this not only affects the physical health but also the emotional condition of the patient, for example, becomes more irritable and an unstable mood. This unstable emotional condition makes patients vulnerable to substance abuse, in order to accelerate the achievement of the desired body weight.
In fact, people who experience bulimia often stress themselves out because they focus too much on the shadows of their ideal version of body weight. In fact, so stressed and prolonged stress, not infrequently people with bulimia take shortcuts by suicide. It's dangerous, right?
2. The digestive system
The eating habits of people with bulimia are overeating at the beginning then regurgitating the food. This makes the digestive system disrupted. Yes, the effect of bulimia triggers fatigue and weakness in digestive motion.
The habit of vomiting continuously makes the mouth exposed to acid from the stomach, which then causes tooth and mouth problems. Furthermore this condition will cause damaged teeth, sensitive teeth, and gum disease. In addition, things can also make the cheeks and jaw look bigger because of the swelling of the salivary glands.
Apart from damaging your teeth and mouth, rising stomach acid can cause several other health problems, including:
- Esophageal irritation, in severe cases can break down the esophagus and bleeding
- Gastric irritation, which causes stomach pain and stomach acid reflux
- Damages the intestine, causes flatulence, diarrhea, and constipation
Not a few also bulimics who use diuretic pills, diet pills, or laxatives to remove food that has entered the stomach. The frequency of using these products can make sufferers experience difficulty defecating. It can also damage the kidneys and cause prolonged hemorrhoids.
3. The circulatory system
Electrolytes are chemicals that describe body fluids, for example potassium, magnesium and sodium. When vomiting, people with bulimia automatically remove electrolytes in the body to cause dehydration. Because the body loses its electrolytes, the circulatory system and heart organs are also affected.
Unbalanced electrolytes can make the heart fatigue and blood pressure decrease. In severe cases, acute dehydration can cause weak heart muscle, heart failure, heart attack, and sudden death.
4. Reproductive system
The effect of bulimia that occurs in women causes the menstrual cycle to become irregular, can even stop altogether. If the ovary no longer releases the egg, the sperm cannot fertilize the egg. This indicates that the effects of bulimia influence women's fertility.
In addition, bulimia is a disease that can make reproductive hormones disrupted, ultimately making people who experience loss of sexual desire. Of course, this will interfere with harmony in a relationship.
Pregnant women who experience bulimia will face even more severe things. Because, this will also affect the fetus in the womb. The effect of bulimia on pregnant women can increase the risk of health problems as follows:
- Preeclampsia
- Gestational diabetes
- Miscarriage
- Babies born prematurely
- Babies born breech
- Caesarean birth risk
- Low birth weight (LBW)
- Babies with birth defects or stillbirths
- Postpartum depression
5. Integumentary system
The integumentary system that includes hair, skin and nails is also affected by bulimia. Every time the body is dehydrated due to bulimia, all organs of the body do not get the required liquid supply, including the hair, skin, and nails.
The effect of bulimia causes hair to become drier, frizzy, until hair loss. In addition, the patient's skin tends to be more coarse and scaly, while his nails become increasingly brittle and thinning.
