Some teenage girls who go on fad and crash diets may be affected by a condition known as anorexia nervosa. Unfortunately, my husband's 17-year old niece is one of them. The girl shows excessive concern about becoming obese even while her parents are starting to get worried over her apparent loss of weight; there are times, according to my brother and his wife, when their daughter refuses to eat for long periods. I have advised them to immediately consult a doctor who will most likely put them in touch with a therapist who can deal with their daughter's condition.
Sometimes, anorexic teenage girls (anorexia nervosa is much more common in teenage females than in their male counterparts) also go on food binges and thereafter purge themselves of the "guilt" by vomiting or by using laxatives. This condition is called bulimia, and it often occurs side by side with anorexia nervosa in teenage girls.
Understandably, bulimia similarly occurs more frequently in teenage girls than in boys. Occurrence of bulimia in anorexic teenage girls may be determined from the following: subjects are evidently preoccupied with food to the point of hiding or hoarding it; their body weight fluctuates by 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) or more; and there is evidence of self-induced vomiting. Also evident in anorexic teenage girls with bulimia are signs of depression, tooth damage, broken blood vessels below the eyes, and blemishes.
In bulimia, anorexic teenage girls go on eating binges, then vomit deliberately or take laxative drugs to offset the weight they might gain. This puts their lives in danger for, in time, the continual purging deprives their bodies of much-needed nutrients. The purging generally comes after an eating binge, many times in secrecy, and possibly as often as four times a day.
Another perturbing thing about anorexic teenage girls with bulimia is that they may exercise excessively or begin fasting after episodes of food binging and purging. Despite having normal weight, most bulimia sufferers are preoccupied with food, dieting, and their weight. For these young girls, impulsive eating offers an escape, a means of momentary relief from their fears of failing to please themselves or others. What they don't realize is that this often brings about a vicious circle that can be difficult to break.
Treatment for anorexic teenage girls with bulimia includes family or group therapy, nutritional counseling, hospitalization, and medication. It is widely believed that bulimia is related to depression, and this is the reason why antidepressant drugs, such as the tricyclics, are used to treat the condition.
Sources:
1. "Eating Disorders: Anorexia, Bulimia, Binging" - http://www.hoptechno.com/bookeatingdisorders.htm
2. "Bulimia" - http://www.mamashealth.com/bulimia.asp