Eating disorders are common across the country. Anyone can be impacted by these challenging conditions, leaving many people feeling lost and bewildered. To make matters worst, many people do not understand the dangers of eating disorders.
At our women’s eating disorder treatment center, we know that eating disorders pose unique challenges. However, we also know that we can give you the tools you need to overcome these challenges. If you or a woman you love is battling an eating disorder, please contact Crossroads Maine today by calling 877.978.1667. We can give you the support you need to get to a lasting recovery.
Dangers of Eating Disorders
Eating disorders are particularly dangerous because they can start out small and grow into larger problems. However, they can also pose significant health risks. There are five major risks of eating disorders.
Cardiac Complications
Because you’re not giving your body the nutrients it needs to function, many of your organs can be impacted by eating disorders. One of the most notable dangers of eating disorders is heart problems. Anorexia can lead to a range of cardiac complications, ranging from irregular heart rhythms to heart attack. Conversely, binge eating disorders can lead to your heart not being able to pump blood efficiently, leading to a possible heart attack.
Kidney Failure
Eating disorders that require purging with diuretics or vomiting can significantly increase your risk of kidney failure. When you purge your body, you’re depriving your body of bodily fluids and salts that you don’t replace with other nutrients. The kidneys try to adapt to this depletion by trying to maximize their ability to function and maintain your blood pressure. However, these adjuments won’t be able to keep up with your needs. This can lead to a decreased flow of blood to your kidneys, which results in injury to the kidneys and a rise in creatine levels. If it continues over long periods of time, you can go into renal failure, which can require kidney transplants.
Gastrointestinal Issues
When you continuously restrict the amount of food you put into your body, your gastrointestinal tract atrophies. Your stomach will trap gas inside, leading to pain, pressure, and constipation when you do eat. If you use vomiting to purge your body of the nutrients, you could also scar/damage your gastrointestinal tract.
Hyperglycemia
Another danger involved in an eating disorder is hyperglycemia or low blood sugar. Low blood sugar occurs when your body isn’t getting enough glucose in the blood, meaning that it doesn’t get the energy it needs to function. In the short term, low blood sugar can lead to fatigue, tremors, and dizziness. However, when you routinely suffer from hyperglycemia, you can suffer from a range of complications, including:
- Coordination problems
- Loss of consciousness
- Difficulty eating or drinking
- Seizures
- Coma
Neurological Problems
The brain burns a significant amount of the calories that you eat each day. As a result, when you’re battling an eating disorder, your brain doesn’t get the nutrients it needs. This could cause trouble with concentrating. Additionally, you can have trouble sleeping, and you may begin feeling numbness or tingling in your extremities.
Get Treatment at Crossroads Maine
At Crossroads Maine, we know that women can overcome their eating disorders at our women’s eating disorder treatment center. We offer a range of treatment options, including:
To learn more about how our women’s treatment center can help you overcome your eating disorders, contact our team today at 877.978.1667.
