Alcohol and Disordered Eating
“Think of your body as the
medium to obtain your dreams.
Respect it, love it, and cherish it with all its
imperfections. It is the vehicle in which you can
attain everything you want.”
College is an avenue for new freedom, responsibility, and opportunity. College can also bring feelings of homesickness, increased anxiety, self consciousness, and pressure to not only do well, but to be perfect. For many students, this is a time for exploring the college drinking culture and establishing personal drinking patterns.
Occasionally, students will turn to binge drinking and/or binge eating, purging, or skipping meals as a means to regain a sense of control over their lives or to feel better. These coping strategies can put college women at higher risk for developing patterns of “disordered eating.” Even at moderate levels of alcohol consumption, someone who is having difficulty with eating issues can experience more significant problems as a result of their drinking.
Why is this “mixed drink,” alcohol and disordered eating, so risky?
Women who combine alcohol and disordered eating are at greater risk for experiencing “blackouts.” Blackouts are more likely to occur when drinking on an empty stomach or eating very little prior to drinking. A “blackout” is when the alcohol interferes with the chemical process of recording event’s in the brain’s memory. If you are experiencing a blackout, you may appear to be functioning normally, but you are unable to recall where you were or what you did. This can put you at risk for getting involved in sexual situations that you may not have consented to or wanted. It may also put you at risk of injuring yourself or someone else. You could lose very good friends by saying things to them that you don’t remember. You may also be placing yourself at a significant health risk.
What are the Health Risks?
Disordered eating combined with the use of alcohol can be physically and psychologically detrimental to a woman’s health. Effects of this combination can be seen in appearance, motivation, physical performance, mood, energy, self-esteem, and academics.
Over time, this combination increases a person’s vulnerability to changes in blood sugar and electrolyte levels and rapid damage that can affect the heart, digestion, esophagus, and blood sugar levels. Coma and accidental death can occur with alcohol binging, which is further exacerbated by physical damage that may have evolved from the eating disorder.
Health and Safety Tips:
If you are concerned about yourself please seek help.
- Listen to what your friends tell you. If they are concerned for you and ask you to seek help, do so.
- If you choose to drink, always eat before you go out. Eat proteins, not just salad. This is not the time to trade calories.
- Limit yourself to no more than two drinks per evening and choose to drink only one night of the weekend or less.
- Work with a nutritionist to help you with how to maintain your ideal body weight.
- Exercise in moderation.
- Remember that alcohol is the number one date rape drug