‘Drunkorexia’: drinking without dining

A new eating disorder unofficially dubbed as "drunkorexia" is making a scene on college campuses. By mixing binge-drinking with bulimic and anorexic behaviors, some people have found a dangerous way to decrease their calorie intake while still getting their fill of alcohol.

Affecting primarily college-aged women, the eating disorder is new to the medical community.

Although there are few hard statistics on the disorder, the overlap of those with serious eating disorders who are also abusing alcohol may be as high as 75 percent among college-aged women, according to the Eating Disorder Center of Denver.

Sallie Whyte, a psychology major at UC-Denver who works as a research assistant at the Center, said "[Drunkorexia] can be when someone who has anorexic behaviors is possibly not eating to compensate the calories for drinking, or just using the drinking as a replacement for eating."

Whyte also spoke from personal experience about eating disorders on college campuses.

"It's a new stage in life," said Whyte. "Students are now at the age of being an adult, and identity is a big [concern]."

Whyte, who has been in recovery from an eating disorder for over five years, said that what started as a smaller problem as a senior in high school, became compounded when she began her college experience.

She also said that students may feel as if they have no valuable self-identity, and therefore are reduced to a depressed, sickly state.

While anorexia by itself is dangerous—causing health-related complications such hair loss, dry skin, and heart attacks—alcoholism can further complicate the problem.

With nothing to buffer the effect of alcohol, such as food, the effects of what normally would occur after several drinks may come into play after a small amount of alcohol.

And according to Whyte, eating disorders are not specific to only females.

Though it may manifest differently among men, they too can have issues with weight, depression, and self-identity.

When dealing with an eating disorder, Whyte said that education is key. Resources such as counseling are available throughout the campus.

She said that, although it is not an issue that is talked about often, to remember that students are not alone and many others are struggling with the same issues. One of the biggest steps toward recovery, she said, is finding a few friends to discuss it with.
 
For more information on resources available to students, the UCD counseling center can be reached at 303-556-4372. Or you can visit the Eating Disorder Center of Denver website at www.edcdever.com.