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EATING DISORDERS During my freshmen year I was taking a walk on a girls floor with a friend of mine and I noticed a horrible smell. The smell was unmistakable, it could only be vomit. My friend then explained to me that there was a girl on her floor that forced herself to vomit on a daily basis. When I asked why I was told that is what she did to stay "thin". Within a second of the completion of the prior sentence of our conversation the subject in question appeared. She was beyond thin. She did not look healthy, and it was obvious eating disorders were having a profound affect on her appearance. Eating disorders affect millions of Americans each year on various levels. There is evidence to support that Anorexia and Bulimia are present in college communities at a disturbingly high level. People are stricken by these terrible illnesses for a multitude of reasons, which for the most part originate with an obsession with a perfect physical appearance. Parental influence, weight class sports, peer pressure, and insecurity are all contributors to the prevalence of eating disorders. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) believes that 8 million Americans are anorexic, ninety percent of which are women. At least six percent of these victims die form related complications, which may include cardiac arrest, shrunken organs, and loss of bone minerals leading to osteoporosis. Anorexia is typically characterized by rapid loss of body weight due to self-inflicted starvation. Changes in behavior also accompany this disease. Victims become introverts and have a tendency to be extremely obsessive. These negative personality changes often times result in broken relationships with friends and family. Bulimia is another eating disorder that may accompany anorexia. Severe eating restrictions cause anorexics to binge excessively to satisfy food cravings and hunger. Severe guilt sets in after these feasts, and as a result victims force themselves to purge the food from their stomachs to avoid gaining weight. Excessive exercise may also surround these binges to alleviate guilt. Bulimics have died from the bursting of the stomach in extreme cases. Consistent exposure to harsh stomach acids eats away at tooth enamel causing long-term damage. Victims may be significantly less fertile due to ovarian cysts that may develop as a result of bulimic tendencies. Please get help if you are a victim of eating disorders. Address the problem now before it is too late. Help with eating disorders is available on campus at the IU Health Center. Counseling and psychological (855 5711) services provides individual and group help sessions while Health and Wellness (855 7388) offers nutritional services and educational programs. Bloomington Hospital (336 9254) hosts an eating disorder support group and educational programs. LEGAL DISCLAIMER |
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