Drunkorexia (skipping lunch so you can go binge drinking later) is super dangerous. | Source

Drunkorexia victims starve themselves so that they won’t put on the pounds from their high-calorie binge drinking sessions later. Binge drinking can already kill a normal, healthy person through alcohol poisoning, but binge drinking on an empty stomach is even more dangerous–because drinking on an empty stomach gets you intoxicated faster. If you feel hungry or thirsty, as “drunkorexics” often do, you may be likely to drink even more, putting you at a greater risk for poor decisions like drunk driving, risky sexual behaviors, alcohol poisoning, and death.

Aside from that, it puts you at a higher risk of longer term problems like liver and breast cancer, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system (meaning you can get sick a lot more). Additionally, drunkorexia-style behavior, even only occasionally, can lead to more severe eating disorders and substance abuse problems later.

Something especially scary about drunkorexia? The starvation-binge drinking cycle is pretty common on college campuses, where, especially in sorority culture, there’s a ton of pressure to both drink (especially during hazing) and be thin.

One girl recently appealed for help for drunkorexia victims after binge drinking and skipping meals for about two years. Unfortunately, there are few resources available specifically for drunkorexia. Binge drinking and alcoholism have separate resources than eating disorders like anorexia, so they’re often treated separately. Her doctors told her without pulling any punches that if she keeps living like this, she won’t live much longer–and that she can die within two years. That’s scary stuff, girls!

Binge drinking never feels good in the morning. | Source

What should you do if you think you or a pal are at risk for drunkorexia? First, avoid situations where you think binge drinking will be involved. Instead of heading to a house party, go to the movies, hit up a museum, take a trip to the mall. If being around booze is inevitable, stop at one drink–and that’s if and only if you’re 21, girls!–and be sure to never, ever drink on an empty stomach.

And if you or a friend have serious issues with binge drinking or eating disorders, get help here and here.

Do you think drunkorexia is common? Do you or someone you know suffer from or partake in drunkorexia to cut Calories before binge drinking? Tell us in the comments!

So, What Counts As Binge Drinking?!

One of the hardest parts of friendship is knowing when to step in when a friend’s in trouble, especially when that problem is an eating disorder. You can’t always tell when a friend is suffering from an eating disorder, so knowing when to intervene is tough and tricky. Meg’s here to help with 5 ways to deal when you have a friend who could need your help when it comes to eating issues.

Do You Hate YOUR Body? Here’s How To Deal

The Vogue Health Initiative is protecting models--and will benefit fashion fans like you, too. |

We love love love that Vogue, possibly the most influential name in the entire fashion world, is encouraging healthy body image within its pages, just like how the Model Alliance is encouraging the same healthy body image and good working conditions on runways.

Another important development from Vogue that we adore? The magazine now requests that designers not send such small sample sizes of their wares, that way healthier models can actually fit into the clothes. We think this makes a whole lot of sense, and that it’ll actually be beneficial for the designers themselves. Think about it: If the purpose of models is to sell your clothes, shouldn’t they look a bit more like the person who’s going to be buying them later? Who wants to buy a dress that was modeled by someone who looks sick?

Runway and print models are reforming their business practices to encourage healthy body image and a safe work environment. | ShutterStock

A lot of designers like models who are tall and super thin to the point of looking really unhealthy. This is because their designs, which they view as art, hang better on them. But that’s the thing–women aren’t hangers, and we’re generally not supposed to look like them, either. Clothing shouldn’t hang. It should fit. By Vogue enforcing these standards, designers may be more likely to make clothes that will look good on healthy, normal women and girls–and therefore more healthy, normal women and girls can wear it on the runway and off.

Of course, that’s not to say that Vogue may not take those healthier models and airbrush them down to an impossibly unhealthy size. But since we know what they started out looking like, maybe now all that Photoshop won’t give us the wrong idea.

Do you think the Vogue Health Initiative is a good idea? Do you think it’s important for models to have normal body image? Do you think Vogue’s Health Initiative will encourage healthy body image and cooperation from fashion designers? Tell us in the comments!

Tumblr Took A Stand Against Thinspiration, Too! Did You Hear?

Someone with anorexia will see a distorted image. | Source: blogs.babble.com

Anorexia, or Anorexia Nervosa as it’s technically called, is a much bigger problem than a lot of the world admits–and a much more complicated one than a lot of the world realizes.

Anorexics don’t just not eat for the sake of being thin–though that’s certainly a factor. Many sufferers, in addition to feeling pressure from their peers or the media to look perfect, simply struggle to find control in their lives. If they’re under pressure and stress elsewhere, many turn to anorexia as a means of control: even if they can’t control everything else, they can and will monitor their food intake and often stop eating.

Right now, roughly 10 million women and girls are suffering from some sort of eating disorder. What’s even more disturbing is that in terms of anorexia, only 1 in 10 sufferers will enter treatment. Here are more disturbing facts on anorexia, its effects on your body and mind, and just how many people are affected by it.

*One in 200 women suffers from anorexia. If that doesn’t sound like a lot, picture your graduating class. Chances are, someone in it is suffering in silence.

*Anorexia often stems from depression. Fifty to 75 percent of anorexics report feeling depressed.

One reason why Drew Barrymore is always so happy go lucky is her healthy relationship with food and appreciation for her body! | Source: celebrities-eating.com

*In the U.S., women and girls ages 15 to 24 are 12 times more likely to die from anorexia than any other cause of death.

*Over 85 percent of anorexia victims are diagnosed before they hit 20 years old.

*Many people who have an eating disorder continue to struggle with it throughout their lives, but getting help does make it easier.

*Many anorexia sufferers see their disease as a lifestyle choice, and try to lure other people toward dangerous anorexia so they don’t feel so isolated. These victims often host pro-ana blogs, which many search engines and platforms, such as tumblr, have banned.

*Anorexia is often directly related to a distorted body image. Many sufferers literally don’t see what the rest of us do when they look in the mirror: think of it as living in the fun house from Hell.

*Anorexia makes you look bad. Extreme weight loss isn’t the only symptom. Without enough calories and nutrients, your kkin becomes dry, you grow more body hair (because your body temperature is lower and your hormones are out of whack), and your hair thins. And those are only the obvious things.

*Guys aren’t immune. There’s a .3% chance for males to develop anorexia.

*Signs of anorexia aren’t just physical. There are more signals than weight loss that you or a friend may have a problem. If you think your friend hasn’t been treating her body right, tell her you’re worried about her and want to help.

*It’s so important to get help. About one in five anorexia sufferers will die from the disease or its complications.

*Anorexia can delay puberty. A lack of nutrition screws with your hormones, which can delay development and, as previously mentioned, stop you from getting your period.

*Anorexia can ruin your smile. If you’re not getting enough nutrition, your teeth can and will rot without enamel to sustain and protect them.

Now this is a message we can get behind, but for many with anorexia is easier said than done. | Source: about-face.lorg

*Anorexia can actually make you gain weight. Undereating slows your metabolism, so your body clings to every possible calorie it can get.

If you or a friend suffer from anorexia nervosa, or any other eating disorder, talk to a parent, or other trusted adult, or you can find help here.

If you need a little bit of support, look no further, girl.

anorexia

Demi Lovato is an eating disorder survivor -- and we bet she supports this move. | Source: yourstuffwork.com

Tumblr banned pro-ana websites from its blog roll this week. The thing with pro-ana websites is that most girls never even hear about them until they do get banned from blogs or search engines. So what exactly is a pro-ana website?

A pro-ana website is one that promotes anorexia. Some pro-ana sites use the glorified description of being “thinspirational.” Pro-ana and pro-mia (short for “pro-bulimia”) pages give sick girls tips on how to be sicker. They offer ways to resist food, post photos of skeletal women (literally — you can usually see their bones), and serve as a constant reminder that their readers can always be thinner — and that thinner is better.

While it’s easy to say that most girls aren’t affected by sites like this, that’s not necessarily true. If you’re exposed to something enough, it becomes normal to you. Even Demi Lovato, as successful and beautiful as she is, succumbed to an eating disorder until going into treatment last year and has spoken out about how being insensitive to the issue makes it worse. (She’s even documenting her recovery for MTV!)

Pro-ana websites are dangerous, period. They are designed by sick people to not only spread their sickness, but worsen it in themselves and others. 20% of people diagnosed with long-term anorexia will die from the effects of the disease. Pro-ana websites can prolong and worsen anorexia — as in, they can be potentially lethal.

Your worth is not determined by a scale. | Source: thestir.cafemom.com

Another example (and another type of site that tumblr banned): If a person was suicidal and searching online for help — say, she typed in “suicide help” — and instead of support phone numbers and hotlines, she accidentally clicked on a link describing the best way to tie rope, that’s dangerous. That’s damaging. And that also is not much different from a pro-ana website.

Essentially, tumblr banned pro-ana websites from their blog roll because they fall under the category of “self-harm.” And they’re right. While many supporters of pro-ana websites have come out against tumblr for what they perceive as infringement on their free speech, what they fail to realize is that in those “terms of service” a lot of us don’t actually read are clauses that allow tumblr to do things like this.

The problem is that proponents of pro-ana websites see themselves as helping. They think they’re helping girls by giving them tips on the best way to throw up their dinner without rupturing her esophagi. They think they’re helping girls by telling them that “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” But what they’re actually doing is killing themselves and their readers slowly. You already know that anorexia is deadly. Tumblr banned pro-ana websites because they don’t want blood on their hands and they want girls to get healthy. That’s a stance we can get behind.

Do you agree with tumblr banning pro-ana websites? Do you think it’s a good idea, or do you think it violates free speech? Tell us your views on tumblr banning pro-ana websites in the comments! 

Want To Read More About Body Confidence? Here You Go!
tumblr ban pro-ana websites

While most Hollywood stars pretend that they were in the Alps instead of rehab, or blame their temper on “exhaustion” instead of a serious brattitude, Demi Lovato was more than happy to talk about her struggles. And talk. And talk and talk and talk. Since leaving treatment, D has becoming more famous for her issues than her talents!

While it’s rad that DL has the guts to be honest, do you think she just a tad too sensitive? In high school I had a friend come out of the closet, and for the next 18 months, they insisted everyone on earth was also gay and just afraid to admit it (myself included–sorry Sam, I’m still straight.)

Or, did Demi do the right thing by badgering Disney into pulling the episode off the air? Tell me if you think Demi’s rant is just one more too-PC celeb, or if people should take eating disorders more seriously. Really want to know what’s on your mind. Let me know in comments!

Love Demi? Read more about her here!

demi lovato disney

Blair may have had an unhealthy relationship with Chuck, but her relationship with food wasn't good either.

Hi Heather,

I have problems with my body. Some days I will be perfectly fine, having fun eating burritos with my friends at Taco Bell. Other days, I will feel so fat and not eat at all. This doesn’t happen too often, but when it does, I starve myself, and it makes me feel better. Lately it has gotten to the point where I have considered throwing up. Am I anorexic if this isn’t constant?

Also, how do I convince my mom that I have a problem? She doesn’t believe me; all I am doing is trying to get help from her, and she won’t listen. Help?

Body image issues are really hard to deal with, and they can be dangerous. I know telling you that you’re not alone doesn’t make it easier, but you do have to remember that. Also? Remember that you’re beautiful and that you can get better. There’s help out there, and if the first person you turned to can’t give it to you? You’re going to find it somewhere else.

 

You're just not your fab self without some food, gurl!

Diagnosing eating disorders can be a tricky thing. Doctors aren’t really supposed to diagnose you as anorexic or bulemic unless your behavior is regular, constant, and affecting almost every part of your life. But even if your behavior falls short of a full diagnosis, it could still be considered “disordered eating,” which can do damage, too. Starving yourself—even just once in a while—does more than make you lose weight, it also deprives your body of super important nutrients that give you energy and make your hair shiny, your skin soft, and your smile bright. You’re not at your best when you’re not eating.

If you’ve already tried having a super calm, serious talk with your mom about how you’re feeling and what you’ve been doing, go to another family member you trust, a friend’s mom who you feel safe with or even a school counselor. The most important thing is that you find someone to be on your team as you work through this.

A lot of gurls focus on calories and losing weight because they feel like the rest of their lives are out of control. When friendships fall apart, your family is dealing with a lot of drama, or you’re freaking out about college apps, it’s super common for gurls to try to find something they can actually be in control of—and what you eat and how much you weigh can become a dangerous obsession. One of the first steps to getting better is usually figuring out what’s really going on in your life and talking about the things that are upsetting you.

To get more help, call the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa And Associated Disorders at 630-577-1330, or text Teen Line with the word “TEEN” at 839863 between 5:30 and 9:30 PST each night for help.

Have you ever felt like your life was out of control? Do you sometimes skip meals or obsess over calories? Do you have a friend who was dealing with an eating disorder who got better? Give us your advice and discuss below.

take care,

heather

What’s on your mind? Heather can help! Send her your question at heather@gurl.com.
Eating Disorder

Totally inappropriate? We think so.

Halloween costumes for gURLs have gotten a little bit ridiculous lately, with people trying to make literally anything into a “sexy” and revealing outfit for the holiday. But we think this anorexia-themed costume totally crosses the line.

Eating disorders are nothing to joke about, and this costume just seems to be making light of a really serious situation. The dress features a skeletal figure on it, along with some measuring tape around the waist as an accessory. And just to be sure you didn’t misunderstand what it was about, the costume is called ‘Anna Rexia’.

This costume has actually been around for a few years, but when a store called Ricky’s started selling it again recently, people immediately got offended. The store has since pulled the costume and apologized for upsetting people.

WDYT, gURLs? Are you totally offended by this costume? Or do you think this is just a funny joke? Have you or anyone close to you ever suffered from an eating disorder? Discuss below.