Bulimia and anorexia cases increase in Mexico

• April 29, 2024

The demand for care in cases of bulimia and anorexia has increased alarmingly in the last 10 years, she said. Rodrigo León Hernández , researcher of National Institute of Psychiatry (INP) of the UNAM.

These disorders, which mainly affect the women , they are very difficult to measure, because those who suffer them flatly deny their existence, even though it is materially impossible to hide the symptom that characterize them, such as excessive weightloss . This has led to a record below the actual levels, as the psychiatrist told the Women's Communication and Information agency (CIMAC ).

In some cases, bulimia causes alterations cardiovascular that in the medium or long term result in cardiac arrest and even the loss of Dental pieces and damages in the digestive system . Anorexia causes severe malnutrition resulting in loss of memory and irreversible physical damage.

Those who suffer from these disorders lose half their weight and with malnutrition, the body works at 50% because there is little or no no nourishment .

In the INP has registered between 1992 Y 2002 the demand for treatments for these diseases is increase 15 times

In Mexico, 9 out of 10 cases of anorexia correspond to women , whereas one of every six cases of bulimia suffers a man. The age at which most have both diseases is between 12 and 17 years.

These conditions do not respect socio-economic conditions, as he says The universal, León Hernández "We have a record of cases of anorexia or bulimia in marginalized or indigenous communities, and in Social strata very tall. They are perfectionists, they have little control over their impulses, they come from dysfunctional families, where there is overprotection on adolescents, as well as physical abuse Y emotional ".

Although it can be seen in all the states, the most vulnerable to suffer these disorders are the people who come from families in which they get a lot of attention in the physical image .

Of people with bulimia or anorexia, 50% are cured, 20% survive but with relapses , another 20% improves and 10% dies, refers León Hernández . Your recovery depends on the disease being detected in time and receiving a multidisciplinary treatment .

"There are patients who arrive after 20 years of evolution of the disease; they are women in bed all the time, they no longer have contact with reality and the only thing that can be done is to treat them so that they stay with vital signs and can integrate a bit into society, but now they do not heal "he concluded León Hernández .

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