What is anorexia and is it the same as bulimia? Can a person have both?
Anorexia is characterized by self-imposed starvation, a loss of 15% to 25% of usual body weight, an intense fear of becoming overweight, a distorted perception of body image and an absence of a menstrual cycle. The majority of people with anorexia are white women from middle to upper class family, ranging in age from 12 to 18 years. Bulimia is characterized by bingeing on large quantities of food followed by self-induced vomiting or abuse of laxatives. The bulimic behavior usually starts with an incident of overeating followed by guilt. Yes, a person can have both and is at risk for electrolyte imbalance, which is when the minerals (sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, magnesium) in your blood can become dangerously low. A person with anorexia and bulimia can become seriously ill quickly because of starvation, vomiting which causes loss of sodium and / or diarrhea from laxatives which causes loss of potassium. Our culture today stresses that women be thin. At times, thinness is relate
