Drunkorexia: The Dangerous Diet

an image of an alcoholic drink placed on the back on an emaciated female body in a tight red dress indicating the dangers of drunkorexia

Drunkorexia: The Dangerous Diet

If you go to a trendy bar or club you are bound to see impossibly thin partygoers guzzling down drinks. Ever wonder how they keep so thin? The number of drinks and the frequency with which they drink should equal a pot belly, love handles or a muffin top. However, these skinny binge drinkers have stumbled upon a diet that is definitely not good. “Drunkorexia” is a trend that mixes binge drinking and an eating disorder. The idea is you starve yourself or restrict your food intake throughout the day and then binge drink later on. This is a twisted way of counting calories; you can binge drink without gaining weight or having too many calories. Although drunkorexics think this is a foolproof plan, the reality is that they are doing a lot of harm. This practice will lead to serious health consequences. Although this practice may seem new and strange, many people have been doing it, especially on college campuses. In a study by Dr. Rosanne S. Keathley of Sam Houston State University, she found that 21 percent of research participants from a large university admitted to being drunkorexics. People who were drunkorexics averaged doing it just over 5 times in their lifetimes. The study showed that sorority and fraternity members were more likely to be drunkorexics. As seen from the results of the study, drunkorexia is not just for women. Men are also joining in. It seems that there are different reasons for practicing this method among the sexes. For women, the main reason is to prevent weight gain while still being able to party with others. For men, becoming drunkorexics means they get drunk faster and they would be saving money; the money saved on food would be spent on more alcohol. Although these people think that these reasons are justifiable, their bodies would say otherwise. The health consequences that they will experience are definitely not worth saving a few dollars.

Some of the risks of drunkorexia include:

  • Brain damage
  • Difficulty concentrating, studying and making decisions
  • Damage to the liver, stomach, and heart
  • Alcohol poisoning
  • Blackouts

Women are at greater risk for health problems associated with binge drinking. Women do not metabolize alcohol the same way as men. Women will become sick faster and their vital organs will be damaged quicker than men. Drunkorexia not only affects physical health but it increases the risk of violence and sexual assault. A drunkorexic has a greater risk of developing a more serious eating disorder or addiction problem. The desire to be thin, save money and party hard can lead you down a dark road of health issues, eating disorders and addiction. Although the consequences are clear, there are still many who refuse to stop. They believe that by staying thin and being able to binge drink that they have found a balance. It is just a matter of time until they experience the consequences of drunkorexia. Hopefully, they don’t hit rock bottom before they get help. Stepping Stone Center offers personalized dual diagnosis treatment to help those who struggle with addiction and mental illness. You gain the tools that will help you manage both your mental illness while living free of drugs or alcohol. It takes one call to change your life. Call Stepping Stone Center now at 866-957-4960 and start living a new life.