Diabulimia is a non-technical term for the abuse of exogenous insulin in an effort to lose weight or prevent weight gain. Exogenous insulin is self-administered in the form of shots by individuals who have Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes. Although Type I diabetes has multiple causes, they all disrupt the body’s ability to produce insulin (endogenous insulin), a chemical required for life.
Many people are under the impression that eating disorders only occur in adolescent girls and young women, but the truth is there is no age limitation to disordered eating.
In a study of women age 50 and over by the International Journal of Eating Disorders, 13% had symptoms of an eating disorder. Additionally, 70% were attempting to lose weight, and 62% felt their weight had a negative impact on their life. These percentages are strikingly close to the percentages of younger women and girls with eating disorders and poor body image.
Genetics largely determines a person’s shape and size, so the ideal body type for most is an impossible standard of beauty. His or her weight cannot determine their health. Unfortunately in our culture, weight and health go hand in hand. For people struggling with eating disorders, a huge factor contributing to the pain brought on by an eating disorder is the worry of being humiliated and rejected for their weight, no matter what it is.
Trending this Week at The Meadows Ranch
By Libby Neal, MA, LPC
Eating disorders are more fluid than fixed. It seems the course of an eating disorder is progressive in nature, changing in severity over time. Eating disorder professionals who have worked long enough with one person will see the type of behaviors move from one end of the spectrum to another.
Trending this Week at The Meadows Ranch
By Libby Neal, MA, LPC
A person’s feelings shift throughout the day based on positive and negative interactions. Hearing critical feedback from a teacher on how a paper could have been improved may leave a person feeling poorly about herself. Or if a new romantic interest becomes disinterested, a person may wonder what he or she did to lose that previous connection.