JUST SAYING

I CAN’T MOVE!(Sleep Paralysis)

I came across a bunch of TikTok videos this week and they all seemed to revolve around sleep paralysis. Being the curios type, I had to pry more into it and report everything that I pick up right here. On most videos, they tried to link sleep paralysis to lucid dreams and it was a good laugh. A lucid dream is a dream in which a dreamer is aware that they are dreaming. Bizarre, right? In one particular video, the guy was lying on his back and trying to make a move but isn’t able to move a muscle as a ghost-like creature approaches the bed. It was both funny and scary and I had the irresistible urge to know more. In this article, I’ll focus on sleep paralysis.

Sleep paralysis is temporary loss of muscle function while you’re asleep. It usually occurs while someone is falling asleep, shortly after falling asleep and when waking up. It affects four up to ten people in the overall population according to research. In some cases, the person might end up hallucinating like hearing voices or seeing things. An individual feels like someone is lurking in the room, something is pushing them down and they are frightened. It can last from seconds to a couple of several minutes. The individual is wide awake but they can’t move or speak.

Narcolepsy is a condition in which a person suddenly falls asleep.

Sleep paralysis has some causes like insomnia, disrupted sleeping patterns, narcolepsy, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, major depression, bipolar disorder or someone with a family history of sleep paralysis. Narcolepsy is a condition in which a person suddenly falls asleep. It can be treated through yoga and breathing exercises, trauma counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy. You can tell that you might have sleep paralysis but going through a sleep study or writing a sleep diary. In order to avoid sleep paralysis you should have regular and ample sleeping patterns, sleep on your side instead of your back, reduce stress, exercise regularly and maintain a healthy lifestyle in general. Sleep paralysis is no cause for alarm, it’s normal and you can overcome it. Be encouraged!

Ps. Just Saying.

ME TO THE RESCUE!(Hero complex)

Not once or twice do we run into people who always have the need to rescue others or take credit for saving others. It’s noble to want to help the people around you but in cases where you tend to overstep and disregard their boundaries, now we have a problem on our hands. Many at times we have people around us who are close; could be friends or family who feel the need to save you ignoring the fine line between caring and meddling. In most cases, these people tend to even create havoc so that they can fix it and take credit for it. It could be at the work place; that one individual that wants to do all the work just so that he can take credit for it or that one aunt who always wants to meddle in your life trying to fix everything like you are a charity case or a project for her to alter to her liking without considering your take on the issue ta hand. I bet by now, you have a few number of people in mind.

People with Hero complex ignore the fine line between caring and meddling.

Hero complex or otherwise known as Saviors complex is a psychological phenomenon in which the individual has a strong tendency to seek people who need help and often sacrifice their own needs and put others first. The individual strives to be the hero of the story and are always caught up in a fallacy where they always have to wear the hero cape just so that they can remain relevant in the society. They want to be at the center of glory and save the day. In some instances, they become dangerous if they create situations that will be convenient for them to swoop in and play the hero. Hero complex is not categorized as a mental disorder but a psychological behavioral pattern that is more than often considered problematic.

Hero complex is not a mental disorder but a psychological phenomenon.

The symptoms that are associated with Hero complex are pretty much straightforward and are likened to the grandiose delusion or also known as the delusions of grandeur in which and individual is delusional and imagine themselves being famous, wealthy, powerful and in some cases, some tend to refer to themselves using divine terms. There’s a popular myth that people with Hero complex are mostly found in the field of civil servant like doctors, teachers or policemen but truth is, it can be found anywhere at the work place no matter the profession. These people want to seek more recognition than others. In an individualistic and capitalism society, it’s common for people to look out for themselves but people with Hero complex overdo it. Individuals with Hero complex have a hard time and have a couple of dangerous situations in their hands in cases where their behavior isn’t welcome.

Individuals with Hero complex tend to be narcissistic.

A bitter and hostile environment will subject them to being alienated by their fellow teammates at work due to their need to stand out. There is also an illusion of productivity at the work place as the individual focuses on outdoing others instead of tackling the task at hand. They may be arrogant and neglect their duties just so that they can satisfy their want to be the hero. People with hero complex are easily identified. They like recognition a little too much and find fulfillment from it. They also have an irrevocable need to rescue others around them. Some of them tend to be narcissistic. They are saving others just so they can feel better about themselves. Hero complex is manageable and if you have it, you can start by seeing a psychological therapist who will guide you on how to respect people’s boundaries and avoid overstepping when in pursuit to save others. If you realize that someone around you is suffering from Hero complex, You can tell them in an amicable way to be mindful of others and take the necessary measures to ensure that they don’t end up pushing people away.

Ps. Just Saying.

JUMPING TO CONCLUSION!(Paranoid personality disorder)

We are all familiar with the popular trend to overthink. I mean who doesn’t? You overthink and become paranoid when your boyfriend doesn’t pick your call or answer your texts, or when your friends go out without inviting you. Maybe he is out with his side chick or maybe my friends want to cut me off for some anonymous reason. All these are normal tendencies that sometimes might go overboard. Overthinking might become your go to reaction to almost all situations and that’s when its safe to call it unhealthy. When it gets to a point where you can barely trust people and you are always suspicious of everyone and everything around you. You don’t seem to realize it and when people call you out for it, it gets you hostile and all defensive because you have adopted to using hostility as your defense mechanism. I guess now I have painted a perfect picture of what we are talking about today. Let’s dig in for more facts.

Paranoid personality disorder is a mental health condition that has distinct patterns of distrust and suspicion of others without adequate reason. You tend to always be on guard and constantly believe that others are trying to demean, harm or threaten you. This type of behavior and way of thinking doesn’t seem problematic to you; if anything you are strongly compelled to believe that your behaviors are justified. This type of disorder is Cluster A; which is characterized by odd eccentric thinking and behavior. Paranoid personality disorder is not accompanied by delusions and hallucination and starts during the late teens or early adulthood. According to research, males are more affected than women and people with this disorder are more likely to live in low-income households, Black or Hispanic or widowed.

The signs and symptoms are; doubting commitment,loyalty and trustworthiness especially from those closest to them, reluctance in confiding in others, unforgiving and holding on to grudges, very hypersensitive and holding on to grudges for a significant duration of time, tend to read hidden meanings in innocent remarks, perceiving attacks on their character, persistent suspicions without reason, cold and distant when it comes to relationships with people who are closest to them, believe that they are always right, difficulty in relaxing, tend to be hostile, stubborn and argumentative. The causes of PPD are mostly environmental and biological factors. Going through emotional neglect, physical neglect and supervision neglect while growing up might trigger the disorder. There is also a genetic link to schizophrenia which is also a Cluster A disorder.

Paranoid personality disorder is not diagnosed until after someone is 18 years. It is related to anxiety and depression. A mental health specialist like a psychologist or a psychiatrist will be able to diagnose someone who is suffering from PPD. Paranoid personality disorder is related with Avoidant personality disorder, Border personality disorder and Antisocial personality disorder. Those with PPD are most likely to suffer from Substance use disorder and panic disorder. It can be treated through psychotherapy. Talk therapy is a form of Cognitive behavioral therapy or Dialectical behavior therapy. In most cases, no medication is prescribed except in extreme conditions where drugs like anti-anxiety drugs, antidepressants or anti psychotic drugs. There’s definitely a ray of sunshine of you are suffering fro Paranoid personality disorder. Take a leap of faith and save yourself from endless turmoil and save you relationships from being extinct. You can do it!

Ps. Just Saying.

TOXIC CRAVINGS!(Pica eating disorder)

It normal in African culture for a pregnant woman to eat a special type of clay. According to the norms put in place, it’s part of the pregnancy process and somehow considered healthy for the mother and the child that’s growing inside her womb. It extends further to even maybe after conception. An incident where a colleague of mine was so excited to see a pile of fresh dirt that has been molded on a tree by mites and despite the fact that she wasn’t expectant, she went ahead and scooped some and curbed her cravings and even tried to convince me to try it out. According to her, nothing can match the satisfaction that she gets from consuming that particular soil. It made me curious and no here we are exploring more and during my research, I came across Pica.

In some cultures, it’s okay to eat clay as it’s considered nutritious.

Pica is an eating disorder which is characterized by the feeling of compulsion to eat non-food items and may consume dangerous items. They are unable to stop themselves from consuming these items that have no nutritional value whatsoever. It mostly affects pregnant women and children. Pica can lead to lead poisoning and in most cases it is usually temporary. In some cases, it occurs in people with intellectual abilities. These items may include; ice, soap, buttons, clay, hair, dirt, sand, ash, paint, glue, chalk, feces or any other non-food items. Pica can be caused by deficiency in iron, zinc or any other nutrients. The unusual cravings may be your body trying to replenish the low nutrients level. Schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder may cause pica. In some cultures, it’s okay to eat clay which is known as geophagia. Dieting and undernourishment may lead to pica.

It mostly affects children and pregnant women.

The complications that are associated with pica are lead poisoning, parasitic infection, intestinal blockage and choking. Pica can be treated by chelation therapy for lead poisoning in which drugs are prescribed to the patient that will convert the lead into waste that’s disposable through urine. The doctor can also prescribe vitamin and mineral supplements and a psychological evaluation might also come in handy in order to figure out if the patient has an underlying psychological condition that’s triggering pica eating disorder. Well, that’s pretty much it for the factual bit. This piece is not meant to disregard the culture of pregnant women eating clay but it doesn’t hurt to have the knowledge behind the bizarre cravings. As always, your health should come first!

The unusual cravings may be your body trying to replenish the low nutrients level.

Ps. Just Saying.

MY LOVE LANGUAGE(Love languages)

We all have wants and needs by default. In most cases, we would like our potential soulmates to fulfill our wants and needs especially in a romantic relationship. I believe that the first step to figuring out all this is understanding what your love language is. What do you want or need from your partner in a relationship. It obviously varies from one person to another and if your are in a relationship and seriously committed to your partner you should take it upon yourself to learn your darling’s love language and how many they are. It is possible for someone to have more than one love language or even all of them but there’s always a favorite that stands out from the rest; you should figure that out. Now, let’s get to the various love languages that exists.

Words of affirmation entail valuing verbal acknowledgement of affection.

Words of affirmation is the first love language and in this case, you value verbal acknowledgement of affection. You tend to value I love you’s, compliments, words of appreciation, verbal encouragement and frequent digital communication like texting and social media engagement. Written and spoken words in this case matter the most. It makes you feel understood and appreciated. Quality time is the other love language. You feel most adored when your partner wants to actively spend time with you and are always down to hang out with you. You particularly love active listening, eye-contact and full presence of your partner. To such individuals, it’s about giving undivided attention to that one person with no distractions for the television, phone screens or any other interference. You have a strong desire to spend time with their lover and have deep meaningful conversations and sharing recreational activities.

Acts of service consist of the mantra that actions speaks louder than words.

Acts of services is considered a love language as well. You value when your partner goes out of their way to make life easier by doing stuff like serving you breakfast in bed or picking up lunch for you. In this love language, you believe that actions speak louder than words and they feel appreciated when your partner goes out of their way to make you feel more comfortable. Giving and receiving of gifts is the other love language. You tend to appreciate visual symbols of love more. It’s not really about monetary value but more about the symbolic thought behind the item. You enjoy being gifted something both physical and meaningful that matter and reflects their values and not necessarily not about the person giving the gift.

Physical touch is affirming and serves as a powerful emotional connector.

Physical touch is the core of many relationships. In this case, a person loves to receive physical signs of affection which include holding hands, hugging, cuddling on the couch, kissing and more intimate forms of touch. Physical intimacy and touch are affirming and serve as a powerful emotional connector. You tend to value the feeling of warmth and comfort that comes with physical touch. Those are the love languages that are most popular in most relationships. I am certain that now you know what love language stands out the most and in cases where your partner hasn’t yet identified your love language, you can go ahead and give him or her a hint. We all should have our needs met by our partners in order for us to fully commit and enjoy relationships. Good luck in your relationships lads!

Ps.Just Saying.

FACELESS!!!(Face blindness/ prosopagnosia)

I have been a fan of movies for the longest time and for some reason I find myself drawn to movies that touch on sensitive issues around us. I mean who doesn’t want to become smarter just from doing what they love on their leisure time. On many instances, I have found myself watching movies in which the protagonist can’t seem to recognize faces; just a blurred facial image. I figured why not look it up and turns out it’s a real thing. Many at times we tend to dismiss certain things because they do not affect us directly but there’s no harm in wanting to learn more about the things that happen out there in order for us to become more sensitive to things that happen around us. Let’s look deeper at prosopagnosia or face blindness in simpler terms.

I have found myself watching movies in which the protagonist can’t seem to recognize faces.

Prosopagnosia is a brain disorder in which the convalescent can’t recognize or differentiate peoples faces. In most cases, people with face blindness acquire it from birth and grow up with it. People with face blindness tend to use alternative strategies to recognize people through their walking style, hairstyle, voice or clothes but it doesn’t always work especially in locations that are new to the person. There are two types of face blindness; development prosopagnosia and acquired prosopagnosia. The developmental prosopagnosia is acquired without brain damage. According to research in the UK, one out of fifty people are said to have this condition. The convalescents are born with this condition and it stays with them as they grow gradually. There seems to be a genetic link since most people with this condition have first degree families whoa also suffer from the same.

Acquired prosopagnosia is rare and discovered after a brain injury. It often occurs after brain damage in early childhood. However, it’s not related to memory problems, vision loss, learning abilities but it’s closely associated with other development disorders like autism spectrum disorder, Turner syndrome and Williams syndrome. People with this brain disorder avoid social interactions and may develop social anxiety disorder, difficulty forming relationships and may go through problems in their places of work, depression is common, they can’t recognize facial expressions, they can’t recognize their own faces in the mirror or photos, they woory that they appear rude or not interested and have difficuly navigating new especially in new locations.

Prosopagnosia has no cure or specific treatment but research is ongoing.

Prosopagnosia is diagnosed by a neuropsychologist who carries out tests to affirm that one really has face blindness. The tests are; memorizing and recognizing new faces, recognizing famous faces, spotting similarities and differences between faces and judging gender, age or emotional expression. Prosopagnosia has no cure or specific treatment but research is ongoing. In the meantime, the patients are taught how to use compensatory strategies for clues on how to distinguish people especially family and close friends. People with face blindness are encouraged to develop techniques to better connect with people, build strong interpersonal relationships and try manage anxiety and depression in order to cope with this condition. Despite the fact that you might live with this all your life, it’s not fair for you to lose a chance at becoming normal. You too deserve a shot at living a normal life. Hang in there! You’ll get through this!

Ps. Just Saying.

FEELS SO GOOD!(Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response)

In the 21st century, so much has been invented but when it comes to ASMR, that was definitely genius. It all started with me lazing around at the office and scrolling through tiktok videos and I landed on a very interesting video that had my undivided attention. Euphoria is how I would describe it. I joined the live video and things got more interesting by the minute and I ended up spending a significant amount of time just watching and listening to the sounds that gave me a frisson similar to the feeling one get’s when you’re listening to music or watching a beautiful vast landscape and all this while seated. The girl was rubbing two orbs on the microphone and the aftermath was an ocean wave-like sound with bubble sounds. I was lost in oblivion until my friend dragged me from my sleep. Yeah, I was deep asleep. I was so excited about this new discovery that I decided to share it with you guys.

The sounds give a frisson similar to listening to your favorite song.

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response is a tingling sensation that usually begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine and sometimes possibly all the way down to the limbs. It is considered a pleasant form of paresthesia. When an individual is exposed to a particular types of auditory or visual stimuli like whispering, fingernail tapping and slow movements. Some people experience the sensation when having haircuts, massages or other situations involving close attention to the head and body. Just like how not everyone gets chills from listening to music, ASMR doesn’t work on everyone. When I was watching the live video, some guys couldn’t understand ASMR and labelled cultic and even called the ASMR artist names because they didn’t understand the importance of the exercise. In a way, I understood them because I would be creeped out seeing someone just tapping a microphone continuously or rubbing the mic.

ASMR is a tingling sensation that usually begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine and sometimes possibly all the way down to the limbs.

ASMR is still new and there is a lot of research being done on it at the moment but the benefits of ASMR are evident. The psychological benefits of ASMR are relaxation, improved mood, temporarily relief of stress, insomnia, depression and pain. ASMR improves concentration and attention and reduces vulnerability to intrusive thoughts. People who have tried ASMR say that they end up feeling calm, relaxed, happy and they are able to cope with insomnia, anxiety and depression better. The types of ASMR are split into two; visual triggers and sound based triggers. The visual triggers are hair brushing, stroking a pet, watching brush stroke a surface and paint mixing. The sound triggers are chewing, whispering, personal attention like whispering words of affirmation, typing, fingernail tapping, crisp sounds, humming and page turning. These are just but a few triggers but the list is endless as more and more ASMR artist find more triggers that spark the tingling feeling. If you haven’t tried it you should. I personally find it calming and a good way to meditate and unwind. Have a great ASMR session. Thank me later!

The frisson is also similar to observing a beautiful landscape.

RESTORE MY SMILE!(Tongue thrust)

All my life, I have been “sucking my tongue” as many would call it and my parents tried a couple of methods to put an end to it but none seemed to work. It started with sucking my thumb and they used gloves soaked in pepper to stop that but it advanced to my tongue. I would get scolded by my parents, giving me threats that my teeth would be malformed but I couldn’t stop myself. Soon it became a habit and alongside that is an involuntary impulse to rub a scar I have on my knee. I have so many questions regarding this condition and sadly it has become worse over time and this coerced me to look into tongue thrust and see if there’s hope for me to overcome this nasty and embarrassing habit before it’s firmly rooted in me because I believe that there’s hope for me and you.

It starts with sucking your thumb as a kid and over time it becomes a habit.

Tongue thrust is a condition when the tongue presses forward too far in the mouth resulting in an abnormal orthodontic condition called an “open bite.” It’s mostly in children and has a myriad of causes which, including; poor swallowing habits, allergies and tongue tie. In babies who are breastfed or bottle-fed, tongue thrust is normal since as the child gets older, the patterns evolve. However, prolonged use of a bottle can lead to abnormal tongue thrust. The causes of tongue thrust are; long term sucking habits like sucking of the thumb, fingers or tongue,allergies accompanied by chronically swollen tonsils or adenoids, tongue-tie and a swallowing pattern known as reverse swallow. You may be prone to tongue thrust due hereditary factors. In tongue thrust, the tongue tends to push forward in the mouth and pressing into the back of the teeth.

The tongue pushes the teeth forward and outward.

The signs of tongue thrust are; the tongue is visible between the teeth whether when swallowing, resting or sleeping, mouth breathing, inability to close the lips completely, an open bite, slow or fast messy eating and speech impediment like lipsing of ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds is common. I you carry on tongue thrust to adulthood, it may be as a result of chronic allergies, swelling adenoids or tonsils or stress. Symptoms are similar to those in children. However, in adults, they might’ve developed an elongated facial structure or appearance because of the inability to close mouth or swallow normally. The tongue might also be longer than normal and the open bite makes it hard to bite into certain foods.

Tongue thrust can be resolved by using orthodontic devices as recommended by a doctor.

Tongue thrust is diagnosed by general practitioners, pediatricians, speech language pathologists, dentists and orthodontists. They observe how you speak and swallowing patterns by holding down the bottom lip and watch how you swallow. Tongue thrust can cause malformed teeth if left untreated in which your teeth move outward creating a gap or open bite. It is treated by using a tongue crib in children to prevent an open bite. Orthodontic devices are also recommended in adults. Orofacial myology is a therapy treatment which corrects the placement of lips, jaw and tongue. The therapy addresses swallowing habits and anything else that your doctor needs to address. Tongue thrust is a condition that can be resolved over time but take a leap of faith and consult a professionals opinion and stick to therapy. Let’s restore our smiles!

Ps. Just Saying.

ME + FOOD = MY NOXIOUS BOO(Binge eating disorder)

“Oh, you’ve gained a lot of weight since High School. What have you been eating? You looked way better when were a bit leaner. You should try working out, or maybe keto diet plan or maybe intermittent fasting, you should sign up for a sport or something”. It’s sometimes hard for me to deal with all these insensitive comments and I had to get to the bottom of the cause of my weight gain. I discovered that I have a difficult time when dealing with my emotions and I prefer directing my attention to something less painful and satisfying. Well, food checks all the boxes except this behavior has resulted to me acquiring a very bad habit of bingeing. That, my friends is how I gained a lot of weight so I’m glad we cleared that up. Let me give you a little bit of insight on what bingeing is and how it works and maybe then you’ll be careful while having conversations about weight without hitting a nerve.

Bingeing entails eating when full and irresistible urge to eat.

Binge eating disorder is an eating disorder in which one frequently consumes unusually large amounts of food and lacks control to stop the excessive eating. Excessive overeating becomes a regular occurrence and the embarrassment about overeating follows. You end up making void vows about how you’ll stop bingeing but you can’t resist the urge. The symptoms are quite simple; eating large amounts in specific amount of time, feeling as if the behavior is out of control, eating when you’re full or not even hungry, eating rather rapidly during the bingeing episodes, eating until uncomfortably full, frequently eating alone and in secret, feeling depressed, guilty, ashamed or upset after bingeing and frequently dieting without any weight loss or relapsing on the weight loss. Trying to adapt to restricting diet leads to more bingeing and I’m a first hand witness to this.

Bingeing victims are three times the number of Anorexics and Bulimics combined.

The causes of binge eating disorder are unknown but according to research bingeing is closely tied to genetics in that you can inherit it from a close family member, biological factors like imbalances in hormone levels, nutrition and gender, and long term dieting might increase the chances. Bingeing is more common in women than men and get this, bingeing victims are three times the number of Anorexics and Bulimics combined. The risk factors of bingeing are family history of bingeing, dieting especially if depressed and psychological issues like stress, poor body image and availability of binge-worthy foods. Complications associated with bingeing are; poor quality of life, problems functioning at work, social isolation, obesity and medical conditions that are related to obesity. Psychiatric disorder that are associated with bingeing are; depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and substance use disorder.

Keep a food and mood diary which will aid in practicing mindfulness when eating.

Binge eating disorder can be prevented if parents and the society at large reinforce positive body image. Bingeing can be treated by using cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, dialectical behavior therapy, weight loss therapy and medication. All these can be done on a one-to-one basis, group setting or self-help format like myself. Consult your psychotherapist, psychiatrist, nutritionist or primary care doctor. For the self-help format, you can keep a food and mood diary which will aid in practicing mindfulness when eating, you can find someone to talk to in case things around you become overwhelming, choose healthy foods, start exercising and last but definitely not least get enough sleep. We can reverse this nasty routine and replace it with a more healthy lifestyle. We can stop it!

Ps. Just Saying.

ME + FOOD = TOXIC(Bulimia Nervosa)

“It all started as a sick joke on social media about how food is my boo then before I knew it I had slipped into a very unsettling habit. It started with constantly eating my favorite slice of red velvet cake, an extra slice when I was trying to block out any thoughts. My parents didn’t make it easier, they made insensitive comments about how I had gained weight and made it unbearable because anytime I would snack, they would make disheartening comments about how fat I had become and how I would never lose weight. That resulted to me secretly eating large amounts of junk food all in one sitting. After satisfying the insatiable urge to eat, I would feel guilty and work out excessively trying to get rid of the extra weight” My friend opened up to me about her struggle with Bulimia Nervosa and I realized how important it is for the general public to know more about this eating disorder.

Bingeing and purging is what separates Bulimia from binge eating disorders.

Bulimia Nervosa is a psychological eating disorder that is potentially life threatening as it involves secretly bingeing and purging in order to get rid of the extra calories. The patient eats large amounts of food in one sitting and lack control which result to overeating. They use unhealthy means to purge like, inducing vomiting or misusing laxatives, using weight loss supplements, diuretics or enemas, excessive fasting and working out, and strict dieting. The patient is preoccupied with body weight and body shape. They tend to judge themselves harshly for self-perceived flaws. Bulimia is hard to overcome because it’s not only about food but self-image as well. The symptoms are fear of gaining weight, episodes of eating large amounts of food in one sitting, forceful vomiting and excessive exercising, fasting and resisting certain foods in the name of calorie control, preoccupation with body shape and weight, use of dietary supplements, laxatives, diuretics, enemas and herbal products. It affects people of any race, gender, ethnicity, age and body type.

Eating food in secret is one major sign of Bulimia Nervosa.

The causes and risk factors are genetics, emotional health which involves issues like depression or stress, societal expectations, excessive dieting may trigger the eating disorder, traumatic events where food becomes an escapade and substance use disorders cause Bulimia Nervosa. Complications that are associated with this eating disorder include negative self-esteem, dehydration that could lead to kidney failure, heart problems like irregular heartbeat or heart failure, severe tooth decay or gum disease, absent or irregular periods in women, digestive issues like stomach ulcers, anxiety, depression, personality disorders, substance abuse and self injury or suicidal thoughts. Bulimia is treated through cognitive behavioral disorder, family based treatment whereby your family is involved in therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy and nutritional therapy.

Parents should discourage their children from fad dieting.

Bulimia Nervosa can be prevented whilst still at it’s core. Parents should ensure that they have meals at regular times, they should avoid talking about weight but emphasize more on healthy habits, promote healthy realistic body image to their kids and discourage dieting. Patients who have anxiety disorders should receive treatment first in order to progress with the healing process. For people suffering from Bulimia Nervosa, you should look after your body by exercising more often, connect with others and talk more about what you’re going through with family and close friends, and avoid any triggers that will set you back from any progress you’ve made. You can overcome this once you get the right treatment and take care of yourself. Quick recovery. You’ve got this!

Ps. Just Saying.