Losing weight and feeling fatigued

Eating Disorders: Losing weight and feeling too thick are first warnings

21.02.2012

The media show it: in casting shows, especially young women and girls, in the hope to be as successful as well-known model stars present themselves. Beauty is inevitably linked with „be thin“ and underweight is stylized into a trend. As more and more adolescents and adults follow this supposed trend, the incidence of eating disorders is also increasing. A steadily decreasing weight as well as an obscured perception of one's own body as „too thick“ are first warning signs of incipient anorexia or bulimia. This is reported by the German Society for Psychosomatic Medicine and Medical Psychotherapy (DGPM)

Parents should closely monitor the weight loss of their children. It becomes critical when the weight is less than 90 percent of peers. In some cases, sufferers have even lost so much body weight that the mental illness has resulted in death due to weakness, malnutrition and eventually organ failure.

Although case numbers are also rising among boys, young women and girls in particular are prone to anorexia and bulimia. According to the experts, casting shows on TV could increase eating disorders, as the DGPM explained. According to a study by the International Central Institute for Youth and Educational Television (IZI) of Bayerischer Rundfunk, most young women watching TV shows say they are „feel too fat“ and dissatisfied with their physical condition.

Disturbed self-awareness increases the eating disorder
„Due to the disturbed self-perception, the young people look in the mirror and feel despite a considerable underweight as too thick“, says social pedagogue Gritli Bertram from Hannover. The deceptive glow is enhanced by the different proportions. Because the body is emaciated, the head appears much larger and thus supposedly too „thick“.

Sufferers of an anorexia eat little or nothing, often vomiting and exercising excessively. Some patients also use laxatives or artificial satiety tablets to combat the feeling of hunger. Bulimia creates a vicious cycle of overeating, vomiting and starvation. Both mental illnesses can have severe psychological consequences for those affected, as the nutrition experts emphasize. In anorexia, bone density may decrease, length growth may be impaired and brain maturation may be disturbed. If the eating disorder lasts longer lasting lasting damage is no longer excluded.

Therapies only fully successful in 50 percent
Therapy requires the cooperation of patients and is usually very long-term. In many cases, young people need to be admitted to a hospital for an extended period of time. The Society for Psychosomatic Medicine and Medical Psychotherapy recommends psychotherapy designed for the specific disorder. During treatment, patients regain normal eating habits and acceptance of their own body. About 12 percent of anorexia patients do not survive the disease. In only 50% of cases can complete healing be achieved. (Sb)

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