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Oct 25
Drunkorexia, a dangerous new trend among youngsters
Anorexia, orthorexia, and now we have another eating disorder: drunkorexia, which focuses on forgoing food in favor of alcohol.

Drunorexia is a combination of alcoholism, bulimia, and anorexia, all under the guise of a glamorous party lifestyle.

It is especially prevalent among young college women who skip meals to save up on calories during the day so they can get drunk at night.

"Abuse counselors
are putting the word 'drunkorexia' in line with other eating disorders because the patient uses the same type of methods as anorexia and bulimia- they just mix it with alcohol too," said Dr. Kevin Prince, Alcohol & Other Drug Education Program Coordinator at the University Health Services in Austin, Texas, U.S.

A dangerous new trend
According to a recent study conducted by the University of Texas School of Public Health and the University of North Texas Health Science Center, binge drinking is a growing problem among college students.

Excessive drinking can really pack on the pounds, and this is unacceptable in most, particularly young women.

Women who refuse to give up on binging because it is considered cool, but also crave for a thin body, are combining eating disorder and alcohol abuse into one dangerous package which lets them get drunk at night and still maintain weight.

Savannah, a 22-year-old University of Texas graduate disclosed, "I've always watched my weight and skipped meals to account for the high calorie count of alcohol.

"It was just something I always did while in college as a normal part of my diet so that I could stay skinny but still go out and drink."

She added, "I do know a lot of people who skip meals to drink, drink heavily, and don't gain any weight. Obviously their success in this way encourages others to try it.

"I've done [drunkorexia] for years and I'm still healthy. And I'm skinny. That's the best of both worlds to me, so it's not likely that I'll stop doing it any time soon."

Men too affected by drunkorexia
According to the National Eating Disorder Association of U.S., the disorder is more common in the fairer sex, but there are more than a million men and boys who are equally affected by the problem.

Rodney, 20-year-old public relations major at University of Texas, said drunkorexia in men is to speed up intoxication.

"When you consume on an empty stomach, you feel the effect quicker," Rodney said.

A little about drunkorexia
Drunkorexia is a term coined by dietitians for patients who have eating disorders and indulge in binge drinking.

Substituting drink calories for food calories is not necessarily a major problem in itself. However, when drunkorexics take the extreme step of curtailing food intake to compensate for the calories consumed in a binge drinking session at night, it becomes a lethal combination of alcohol abuse and an eating disorder.

According to health experts, the balancing act is not worth the risks because it is a serious medical condition and can wreak havoc on the body.

Another dangerous practice among women with the disorder is that after drinking large amounts of alcohol, they often overeat, and then purge.

Drunkorexia is a dangerous combination of an eating disorder and binge drinking that needs to be addressed by health professionals.

According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, "alcoholism and eating disorders frequently co-occur and often co-occur in the presence of other psychiatric and personality disorders."

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