Anorexia and bulimia are both eating disorders driven by the fear of fat. However, these two diseases have differences. To find out what are the differences between anorexia and bulimia, consider the following review.
Eating disorders are serious illnesses characterized by disturbances in a person's behavior, emotions, and thoughts about food. There are three main groups of eating disorders, namely anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. However, what is often confused is the understanding of anorexia with bulimia.
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia is characterized by strict dietary restrictions, fear of fat, dissatisfaction with body shape, and an incorrect view of weight. For example, an anorexic person who is very thin may think that he or she is too fat.
Some examples of the behavior of people who experience anorexia nervosa are:
- Not eating or intentionally skipping meals.
- Only eat foods that are low in calories.
- Talk badly about his own body shape (body shaming).
- Avoid eating in front of other people.
- Using loose and closed clothes to hide his body shape.
- Exercising excessively to lose weight, even if you only eat a small amount of food.
As a result of these behaviors, people with anorexia nervosa often have the following symptoms:
- Body weight far below normal (underweight).
- The bones are porous (osteoporosis) and the muscles are shrinking.
- Brittle hair and nails.
- Low blood pressure and lack of red blood cells (anaemia).
- Tired and lethargic all the time.
- The skin is dry and looks yellowish.
- Menstruation stopped.
- Functional failure of various organs of the body.
Bulimia Nervosa
In contrast to people with anorexia, the main behavior of a person with bulimia is eating excessive amounts of food which is then followed by guilt or regret because he has lost control. As a result, people with bulimia will immediately expel food from the stomach, either by vomiting or defecating that is stimulated by the use of laxatives.
To be clear, the following are some examples of the behavior of people with bulimia nervosa:
- Overeating to the point of stomach ache.
- Avoid eating in front of other people.
- Rushing to the bathroom after eating to get the food out of his stomach.
- Exercising excessively after eating.
- Always worrying about weight.
As a result of this behavior, people with bulimia may experience complaints in the form of:
- The esophagus becomes inflamed and painful due to frequent exposure to stomach acid during vomiting.
- Swelling of the salivary glands around the jaw and neck.
- Teeth are damaged due to frequent exposure to stomach acid.
- Lack of fluids (dehydration) and electrolyte imbalance due to frequent vomiting or bowel movements.
If you think you have symptoms of anorexia or bulimia, or see a family member experiencing them, don't hesitate to consult a doctor. Anorexia and bulimia are left unchecked in the long term can cause various complications that can be fatal.
Written by:
dr. Irene Cindy Sunur
