Today, with TV, magazines and cosmetics world highlighting weakness more than many values, young people started dieting from a very early age. However, eating disorders have started to emerge as a more common problem than before, especially in western societies. This problem is seen not only in the upper socioeconomic class, but also in young people from all walks of life, and the age of onset is gradually decreasing.
The two most common eating disorders in young people are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
It is a very serious disorder that brings a person to the limit of starvation in the name of being weak. In this disease, the person is extremely afraid of gaining weight or being obese, even though his body weight is below the required limit. Here, there is a serious disorder in the perception of one’s own body weight or shape. If the disease is not treated in the early period, it is a dangerous and fatal condition that may require hospitalization.
It is 10 to 20 times more common in females than males. It most commonly begins in the mid-adolescent years, but can also begin in the early twenties. After the age of 13, the frequency of the disease increases rapidly. Its incidence varies between 0.5 and 1%.
Young people with this disease may show two types of behavior with the anxiety of gaining weight. A group may binge eat first and then vomit, or they may use diuretic and intestinal evacuation accelerating drugs. The other group restricts their food, taking in as few calories as possible. Both types can over-exercise. The appetite of these patients is usually normal unless they are accompanied by depression and are not in the advanced stages of the disease. These patients may display behaviors such as hiding food, carrying food in their pockets, arranging the dishes on their plates, and stealing food. Their minds can be constantly occupied with food, and they take recipes and prepare elaborate tables.
These people generally have a rigid and perfectionist personality structure. They are often introverted and irritable. Success in school life is generally good until late in the illness.
Patients view their symptoms as the basis of what makes them special. They often refuse treatment. Obsessive behaviors, depression and anxiety disorder are common with the disease.
Cases that begin before puberty may present with a lack of expected weight gain in the child and a delay in the child’s puberty.
Mild cases can be followed on an outpatient basis, while those with severe weight loss require hospitalization. With the aggravation of weight loss, decrease in body temperature, edema, deterioration in fluid balance, slowing of the heartbeat, rhythm disorders in the heart, hair growth, hormonal irregularity, menstrual irregularities, infertility, osteoporosis, increased hair growth, enlargement in the stomach can be seen.
Its treatment consists of psychotherapy, family therapy, medication and, if necessary, hospitalization.
Exp. Dr. Gökçe Küçükyazıcı
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
