Eating disorders can severely affect those who suffer from them, and not just their emotional health. While these disorders are classified as mental health conditions, there are also severe medical complications of eating disorders — and that’s why they can’t be ignored. The dangers are very apparent, but so, too, should be the fact that treatment for eating disorders can be effective and help people overcome these conditions. Let’s explore the risks of not treating this condition and how a mental health treatment center like Moment of Clarity can help.
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What Are the Medical Complications of Binge Eating Disorder?
Binge eating disorder is a common eating disorder, marked by continuing to eat even after feeling full and eating more than the usual amount of food. Because of how this disorder is manifested, those who suffer from it might have obesity or weight gain, but those aren’t the only medical complications of eating disorders they could experience. According to the Cleveland Clinic, physical problems like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, gallstones, fatty liver disease, kidney disease, and osteoarthritis can all stem from this problem:
- Type 2 Diabetes: This can develop when the body’s regulation and use of sugar as energy are disrupted. The pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, and insulin takes in less sugar. If not treated, this type of diabetes can cause heart and blood vessel disease, limb nerve damage, eye problems, skin conditions, and dementia.
- Cardiovascular Diseases: Chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness, and fatigue can all point to heart issues. Someone with this condition might also experience leg pain when walking, leg sores or swelling, and difficulty with talking, seeing, or walking.
- Gallstones: Despite the name, these aren’t stones. Instead, they’re hardened pieces of bile formed in your gallbladder, and they often need to be surgically removed. The symptoms of gallstones include intense pain in the right upper portion of the abdomen, back pain between the shoulders, and nausea.
- Fatty Liver Disease: While this disease might not come with symptoms, possible warning signs include fatigue and pain in the upper right area of the stomach. This disease requires medical treatment, along with a healthy diet and exercise, to prevent cirrhosis or a buildup of fluid in the stomach and swollen veins.
- Kidney Disease: Symptoms of kidney disease can include swelling in your arms and legs, anemia, heart disease, weak bones, and a lack of an immune response. If it’s not treated, permanent damage to the kidneys will require either dialysis or getting a kidney transplant.
- Osteoarthritis: This is the most common form of arthritis, and it affects the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones. This disease worsens over time and results in pain. Other symptoms include stiffness, tenderness, loss of flexibility, and swelling.
What Are the Medical Complications That Result from Eating Disorders?
Medical complications of eating disorders stem from the physical and mental issues caused by the mental health condition. Still, the exact symptoms will depend on which eating disorder is happening. According to the Mayo Clinic, some of the most common signs that can suggest someone has an eating disorder include:
- Skipping meals or coming up with excuses why you aren’t eating.
- Focusing too much on food and eating healthy food so you don’t have to participate in specific events like birthdays and eating cake.
- Not wanting to participate in usual social activities.
- Having ongoing worry about being too unhealthy or wanting to lose weight.
- Looking at yourself in the mirror frequently and picking out your flaws.
- Using supplements like laxatives or herbal alternatives for weight loss.
- Being physically active with exercise more than the average person, and not taking any rest days or days off when you feel sick or are injured.
- Talk of shame or guilt about your eating habits.
- Eating food in secret.
When suffering from an eating disorder, the person might also require mental health treatment for other conditions such as depression or anxiety, as well as suicidal thoughts or behaviors, issues with growth and development, social and relationship problems, and substance use disorders. Without treatment, death is possible.
What Are the Impacts of Eating Disorders?
These disorders can impact someone both mentally and physically because there are several possible medical complications of eating disorders. It, of course, depends on the type of eating disorder that someone is diagnosed with. Most disorders impact the self-esteem of the person and how they view themselves, and they typically will have a disordered way of viewing their own body compared to reality. This mental illness might make someone eat less or not eat certain meals, impacting how they feel about themselves.
The dangers of eating disorders can result in serious health issues and even death. This is why people must get medical and mental health treatment, such as the treatment program at Moment of Clarity in California.
Mental Health Treatment That Works
Call Moment of Clarity to Overcome the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders
At Moment of Clarity, our outpatient mental health treatment for people with eating disorders can help them learn new coping mechanisms for daily stressors and achieve lasting recovery from this dangerous condition. We offer a wide variety of treatment programs and interventions, including programs to help them learn how to cope with their eating disorder. The treatment options Moment of Clarity offers to patients diagnosed with an eating disorder are psychotherapy, medical care, nutritional counseling, and medication, as well as couples mental health treatment to help two people overcome their mental health challenges at the same time. Don’t wait for the medical complications of eating disorders — get help today by calling us at 949-625-0564.
External Sources
- Cleveland Clinic — Binge Eating Disorder
- Mayo Clinic — Eating Disorders
