Diabulimia - A Type I Diabetic's Eating Disorder

The pressure to be thin remains. It seems to be a trend that isn't going away and the desire to be skinny continues to lead many people, women and men, into eating disorders. Teenage girls continue to be the biggest risk to develop them, but they can affect anyone.

Diabetes is tough. It can cause depression, anxiety, and a host of other negative emotions. The strain on the body and the emotions experienced when dealing with this disease can really take it's toll on a person. Worrying constantly about what foods are being consumed can cause unhealthy views on diet to develop and in a disease that seems to target the heavier population, its easy to see how eating disorders can develop.

Diabulimia is a new term used to describe an eating disorder that's beginning to victimize type I diabetics. As with any other eating disorder, teens are the likeliest to develop it, but any diabetic dependent on insulin can become a victim. Diabulimia is developed when a type I diabetic begins to skip scheduled insulin injections as a means of weight loss.

Unfortunately, skipping an insulin dose can be too easy of a fix. Prior to diagnosis of type I diabetes, many will experience significant weight loss due to uncontrolled sugar levels. Once control of these levels is achieved, weight gain is inevitable and in teens, this can be devastating. As a result, skipping insulin is used and leads to hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia leads to excessive urinating which aids in the weight loss.

The risks of this disorder are very dangerous and include retinopathy, hypoglycemia, and diabetic ketoacidosis. It's important if you have a type I diabetic in your home, to know the warning signs of this disorder. The earlier it's caught, the more likely it is to be treated successfully. These signs include, poor sugar control, even though the person seems to be complying with their treatment plan, obsessing over weight or appearance, and moodiness or irritability. It's also good to watch for signs of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. Signs of those include high sugar levels, fatigue, fainting, anxiety, excessive thirst and excessive urination.

If any of these potential signs of Diabulimia are witnessed, the patients healthcare provider should be notified immediately. Uncontrolled sugar levels can be extremely dangerous and should not be taken lightly. Although complications can be years coming, the set up for them occurs slowly and when they strike they can be devastating. Not taking the high levels seriously can be a deadly game and the invincibility many teens feel can make it worse.