Diabulimia

Diabulimia is an eating disorder affecting people with Type 1 diabetes. Sufferers deliberately under-medicate their insulin in order to lose weight. A quick and easy way of losing weight appeals to many – but for a diabetic this particular route is dangerous and potentially lethal.

When a person with Type 1 diabetes doesn't receive sufficient insulin, their body begins to consume its own fat and muscle stores. This produces rapid weight loss but, in addition, a range of dangerous health complications, including kidney failure and heart disease, nerve damage, amputations, blindness and even death!

Diabulimia is most common in adolescents and young adult women, but this is not exclusive. Most believe that complications will never affect them. As many as one third of all female Type 1 diabetics are thought to have engaged in insulin deprivation as a method of weight control.

The appeal of easy weight loss may be the initial reason for manipulating medication but, once individuals are in the grip of an eating disorder, not even the threat of amputation, blindness or even death is strong enough to overcome the disordered thoughts and behavior patterns.

Being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes means constant vigilance about food and weight. This ongoing attention to diet can trigger eating disordered behaviors and thoughts. It can also result in rebellious behaviors, since restricting insulin sometimes seems easier than carefully monitoring food intake and can give the sufferer a sense of control over their body when everything else seems beyond their control.

Whilst not a new condition, medical and mental health professionals are becoming ever more aware of the symptoms of diabulimia. Some of the warning signs to look out for in a loved one are:

• Changes in eating habits (e.g. eating more but still losing weight)
• Rapid weight loss or gain
• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• High blood sugar levels
• Low energy, fatigue, shakiness, irritability, confusion, anxiety or fainting
• Unwillingness to follow through with medical appointments