Eating Disorders And Substance Abuse Essay -- Weight Loss Health Essay

Eating Disorders And Substance Abuse Common Eating Disorders: The two most common eating disorders are bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. Both disorders, primarily affect young women, therefore the majority of the research on eating disorders has been done with women subjects. The onset of bulimia is between adolescence and early adulthood while the onset of anorexia is between early and late adolescence. Not only is the onset different but the disorders are unique. Bulimia nervosa is characterized by loss of control over eating which leads to food binges. These episodes are interspersed with episodes of purging, such as vomiting or laxative abuse, to keep weight down. The goal of anorexia is also to keep weight down , but to a more severe extent. Anorexia nervosa is marked by "a relentless pursuit of thinness, intense fears of becoming fat, and a distorted body image" (Lilenfeld 1996). There is a substantial weight loss and amenorrhea. These changes occur by either restriction of food intake which is labeled restrictive anorexia, or starvat ion with bouts of purging which is labeled binge eating/purging anorexia. Studies of Eating Disordered Individuals And Substance Abuse: The causes and issues underlying eating disorders still remain, for the most part, a mystery. For this reason much investigation has gone into any issues which may be related to eating disorders. The topic which will be analyzed in this paper is the comorbidity of eating disorders and drug/alcohol abuse. In a review of fifty-one studies by Lilenfeld and Kaye, rates of alcohol/drug abuse were found to differ significantly among restricting anorexics, binge eating/purging anorexics and bulimics. "Depending on the study analyzed, the rates of... ...of dual diagnosis. Therefore different and varied treatment programs are used in hopes of improving this problem. In essence, treatment of dual diagnosis is still a guessing game. Works Cited: Lilenfeld, L. & Kaye, W. (1996). The Link Between Alcoholism and Eating Disorders. Alcohol Health and Research World, 20, 94- . Schuckit, M. , Tipp, J. , Anthenelli, R. & Bucholz. K. (1996). Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa in Alcohol Dependent Men and Women and their Relatives. The American Journal of Psychiatrity, 153, 75- . Strober, M. , Freeman, R. ,Bower, S. ,& Rigali, J. (1996). Binge Eating in Anorexia Nervosa Predicts Later Onset of Substance Use Disorder. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 25, 519- . Varner, l. (1995). Dual diagnosis: Patients with Eating and Subatance Related Disorders. Journal of the American Dietic Association, 95, 224- .