A Look into Bulimia and Anorexia

The advertising fraternity often sends out the wrong message to teenagers when it comes to a perfect body and social acceptance. Many young people today feel they are only acceptable within a peer group if they attractive and the ideal weight. It is especially true when they are looking for friendship or relationships with the opposite sex.

Sometimes the lengths such teenagers would go to have the perfect body are scary. Enter the social disease of bulimia and anorexia. The quick fix solution to the ideal body, so they think! Bulimia and anorexia used to be the typical girl's disease. Research recently has shown that also boys are more and more diagnosed as anorexic. Most anorexics feel out of control. They think the only thing they can control is their eating habits and they actually feel good about what they are doing.

Some anorexics feel that food is their enemy, or the body's enemy. Opposite to this the bulimics feel that food is their friend but after binge-eating, food becomes their enemy. That is why they purge.

Anorexics are much easier to identify than bulimics. With bulimia a person's weight fluctuates so it appears to be normal but with anorexia a person loses weight drastically.

Anorexics are often people pleasers, perfectionists, very high achievers and have a desire to be perfect in all aspects - also as far as a perfect body is concerned. They may also suffer from low self-esteem, parental conflicts and poor self image and are often emotionally immature. Bulimics are often depressed people, suffering from anxiety and phobias. They are also often anti-social.

Most health problems caused by anorexia and bulimia can be reversed if they are caught early. If they are prolonged the damage can be irreversibly. Parents or those near teenagers should always be on the alert for symptoms relating to either bulimia or anorexia. The most important treatment for it is to bring the message to them that they are adorable and likeable as they are! Each one has its own personality and it is not the body which makes the personality!