No, it’s not a medical term, but with the widespread acceptance of alcohol and drug use and societal pressures to maintain a thin physique, drunkorexia may be the next big “trendy” disorder. A New York Times article titled “Starving Themselves, Cocktail in Hand” reports on this new problem.
Drunkorexia is not an official medical term. But it hints at a troubling phenomenon in addiction and eating disorders. Among those who are described as drunkorexics are college-age binge drinkers, typically women, who starve all day to offset the calories in the alcohol they consume. The term is also associated with serious eating disorders, particularly bulimia, which often involve behavior like bingeing on food — and alcohol — and then purging.
The article states that the typical anorexic avoids alcohol because of the high calorie content; however they may ingest alcohol to numb the anxiety around having to eat or having eaten a full meal. Further there are some anorexics that use alcohol as a food substitute;
”There are women who are afraid to put a grape in their mouth but have no problem drinking a beer,’ said Douglas Bunnell, the director of outpatient clinical services for the Renfrew Center, based in Philadelphia.
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One Comment to
“New combination eating disorder and bring drinking problem; Drunkorexia?”
I am 47 and I have been very small all my life I am 5/3 and about 5 months ago only weighed 96 pds I wasn’t eatting anything at all for the most part and when I did I would throw it up then I started drinking coffee brand when I felt hungry I do not understand I have gained weight since I started to drink and my eatting habits have not changed at all I am also going through menopause I am about ready to kill myself I want to get rid of the weight that I have gained everyone says that I looke great but I feel fat and to me I also look very fat I am so embarressed what I weigh I will not even tell anyone what should I do I have been small all my life when I went labor with my son I weighed 129pds does anyone else out there have this problem??
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