Diabetes and eating disorder is a common calamitous disorder. The probability of a diabetic individual to suffer from bulimia or anorexia nervosa is more due to the raise in weight as a result of insulin use. Adolescents with diabetes are twice at risk of suffering from eating disorders.
Parents play a vital role in managing such children. Lack of blood sugar control is a typical indication of eating disorder. Diabetics with eating disorder are more prone to eye problems, such as retinopathy, resulting in blindness.
The disease is used as a technique to conceal the existing eating disorder, as both the problems involve diet management, consideration of body stature and weight control. This combination is lethal and calls for proper and fit behavior.
Physiological and emotional mismanagement can predispose to diabetes mellitus.
Treatment is difficult as the eating disorders fail to show up and remain undetected for years together. The arousal of complications that change an individual includes improper circulation, retinopathy, weight gain, nephropathy, neuropathy and ultimately death. The seriousness of these complications is not seen.
Insulin administration is a common method of treatment in diabetes and unprofessional conduct to control weight is dangerous. The dosage is reduced, resulting in a rise in the blood sugar levels. Urinary sugar increases, thereby decreasing weight. Decreased insulin pushes out the tissues. Insulin abuse resulting in weight loss initially tends to improve the diabetic condition. But, continued use results in organ failure and is dangerous.
It becomes habitual and uncontrollable. The most common feature in such individuals is the feeling of guilt arising as a result of blood sugar increase and weight control. Eating disorders are seen in individuals exhibiting poor glycemic control and with intermittent ketoacidosis. Healthy eating schedule is the basic principle of treatment. An open talk with a psychiatrist is helpful. Proper counseling by a nutritionist on ways to improvise the eating pattern is of help.
Intervention should begin early on detection, as delays subsequently affect the treatment pace and recurrence is also possible. Treatment including a panel of people with a physician, mental therapist, family physician and dietitian is beneficial. Parental help plays a vital role in treating this problem. Hospitalization is essential for individuals possessing suicidal tendency and for those who are depressed. Intervention includes psychological and physiological treatment. Counseling with a psychiatrist might prove fruitful. A close watch of individuals suffering from either of the problems is necessary, as the risk to mutually succeed each other is common.
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