Substance Abuse | Suicide Warning Signs
Eating Disorders
Many children, teenagers and adults exhibit one or more of the following signs, symptoms, and behaviors for any number of reasons. This DOES NOT necessarily mean that they have an eating disorder. However, many people suffering from an eating disorder may exhibit several of these signs and may vacillate between one eating disorder and another.
The following pages list signs, symptoms, and behaviors of eating disorders.
ANOREXIA NERVOSA
- Intense fear of gaining weight
- Is already thin and weight is dropping off
- Cessation of menstrual cycle for three consecutive cycles
- Counts every calorie and fat gram that is eaten
- Dizziness and/or fainting spells
- Intense, dramatic mood swings
- An excessive need for control
- Wears loose clothing
- Exhaustion and fatigue
- Hides food in napkins, under beds, in drawers, etc.
- Abuses laxatives, diet pills, or diuretics
- Very poor self esteem (can be displayed by having to be the center)
- Complains of being cold
- Excessively and compulsively exercises
- Comes up with newfound excuses not to eat such as “I already ate” or “I have an upset stomach”
- Tends to isolate in social situations or avoid social gatherings
- Consumes a lot of non-caloric items
- Withdraws from touching others
- Avoids restaurants and eating in front of others
- Hair is falling out and /or becoming brittle and dry
- Complexion has become pale and the skin is extremely dry
- Sees a distorted image of themselves in the mirror
- Meal times have become ritualistic- e.g. the individual will insist on eating from the same bowl, cut food into tiny pieces, etc
- Extremely defensive when questioned about weight
- Hyperactivity
- Development of fine body hair as bodies attempt to stay warm
BULEMIA NERVOSA and BINGE EATING DISORDER
- Bingeing and purging
- Severe self-criticism and poor self-esteem
- Feelings or expressions of guilt after eating
- Avoids eating in public or in front of people
- Excessive and compulsive exercise programs
- Constant sore or scratchy throat
- Abuses laxatives, diet pills, ipecac, diuretics, and/or enemas
- Swollen glands in neck and puffiness in cheeks (chipmunk cheeks)
- Often goes to the restroom right after meals and remains for extended periods of time
- Feels like they do not have control over food
- Hides food in secret locations for use during binges
- Eats a great deal but does not seem to gain or lose a lot of weight
- Has scrape wounds on the back of knuckles (due to contact between knuckles and teeth to induce vomiting )
- Extremely defensive when questioned about weight
- Tooth enamel is eroding and has increased cavities
- Has begun to wear extremely tight fitting, figure revealing clothes
- Constantly complains about being “fat”, “obese”, or “huge”
- Eats nothing or very little in front of others and then binges in private
- Quantities of food seem to mysteriously disappear from the refrigerator and/or pantry
- Tends to be sexually overactive (sometimes promiscuous) or sexual avoidance
- Takes numerous trips to the grocery stores, convenience stores, etc. in a single day
- Has an enormous preoccupation with food and body weight
- Alternates between eating massive quantities of food and self starvation
- Goes through times of dramatic weight fluctuations of ten poinds or more within a short period of time
- Digestion problems
- Attributes any successes or failures to weight
- Uses food to help cope with stress, emotional distress, and to overcome daily problems
- Rapid weight gain
- Eating large quantities of food when not hungry
- Going from one diet (fad) to another
- Feeling out of control over food
Medical Consequences of an Eating Disorder
Eating disorders always involve abusing the body in some way – by starvation, overeating or purging. This abuse may have long lasting consequences on a person’s physical health. Keep in mind that just as each individual may display different symptoms, different individuals may also have varied medical complications.
Someone struggling with binge eating will have different medical needs than someone struggling with anorexia or bulimia. No matter what disorder or behaviors the person struggles with, they can lead to death.
Our theme verse, John 10:10 reminds us that “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Below are medical consequences of eating disorders:
- Low blood pressure/body temperature
- Hair loss
- Organ damage
- Osteoporosis
- Irregular heartbeat/heart failure
- Infertility
- Acid reflux
- Esophageal tears or rupture that can lead to circulatory collapse and death
- Constipation
- Anemia
- Electrolyte imbalances or decreased potassium levels that can lead to cardiac arrhythmias or arrest
- Stunted growth
- Loss of teeth
- Gum disease
- Enamel erosion
- Swollen glands and sore throat from vomiting
- Thyroid abnormalities
- Decreased mobility due to joint and leg pain
- Gastric rupture due to severe binge eating with 80% fatality rate
- Associated mental conditions like depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive and/or other substance abuse
- Cathartic colon (colon’s inability to function normally without the use of doses of laxatives due to the destruction of the nerves in the colon)
- Toxic heart due to ipecac abuse (irregular heart rate, cardiac arrest)
- Death
Self Harm
Self-harm is the outward expression of pain and hurt that resides deep within. Some of the signs and symptoms of self-harming behavior are:
- Breaking bones or severely bruising the body
- Pulling hair out- or eyelashes and eyebrows
- Inflicting cuts with any type of sharp object, usually on an area of the body not normally exposed
- Constant scratching as a response to pressure or unexpected circumstances
- Picking at scabs and preventing the healing process from taking place
- Biting the inside of the mouth or the siin of the arms, hands, or legs
- Punching the body, including beating the head against walls or other inanimate objects
- Burning the skin on a regular basis with erasers, fire, or small heat-conducting appliances or metals
For many this has become a self-destructive coping mechanism for dealing with life. Many times it is done to replace emotions that you does not know how to verbalize. This can also be an outward display when you are in a situation that is abusive and you feel that you have to remain silent.
Self-harm provides you with a false sense of release but you can have real release.
Depression
These signs should not be confused with feelings that may accompany a bad situation or day but usually build over a period of time and begin to effect every area of your life in a negative way.
- Sadness or hopelessness
- Irritability, anger, or hostility
- Tearfulness or frequent crying
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Loss of interest or enjoyment in activities
- Changes in eating and sleeping habits
- Restlessness and agitation
- Feelings of worthlessness and guilt
- Lack of enthusiasm and motivation
- Fatigue or lack ofenergy
- Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Depression in teens can look very different from depression in adults. The following symptoms of depression are more common in teenagers than in their adult counterparts:
- Irritable or angry mood – As noted above, irritability, rather than sadness, is often the predominant mood in depressed teens. A depressed teenager may be grumpy, hostile, easily frustrated, or prone to angry outbursts.
- Unexplained aches and pains - Depressed teens frequently complain about physical ailments such as headaches or stomachaches. If a thorough physical exam does not reveal a medical cause, these aches and pains may indicate depression.
- Extreme sensitivity to criticism - Depressed teens are plagued by feelings of worthlessness, making them extremely vulnerable to criticism, rejection, and failure. This is a particular problem for “over-achievers.”
- Withdrawing from some, but not all people - While adults tend to isolate themselves when depressed, teenagers usually keep up at least some friendships. However, teens with depression may socialize less than before, pull away from their parents, or start hanging out with a different crowd.
Suicidal Thinking and Behavior
Research has consistently shown a strong link between suicide and depression, with 90% of the people who die by suicide are exhibiting other addictive behavior at the time of their death.
Most teens and young adults interviewed after making a suicide attempt say that they did it because they were trying to escape from a situation that seemed impossible to deal with or to get relief from really bad thoughts or feelings. Some don't want to die as much as they wanted to escape from what was going on. And at that particular moment dying seemed like the only way out.
Some people who end their lives or attempt suicide might be trying to escape feelings of rejection, hurt, or loss. Others might be angry, ashamed, or guilty about something. Some people may be worried about disappointing friends or family members. And some may feel unwanted, unloved, victimized, or like they’re a burden to others.
We all feel overwhelmed by difficult emotions or situations sometimes. But most people get through it or can put their problems in perspective and find a way to carry on with determination and hope. So why does one person try suicide when another person in the same tough situation does not? What makes some people more resilient (better able to deal with life’s setbacks and difficulties) than others? What makes a person unable to see another way out of a bad situation besides ending his or her life?
The answer to those questions lies in the fact that most people who commit suicide have depression.
Substance Abuse
Teens and young adults with alcohol and drug problems are also more at risk for suicidal thinking and behavior. Alcohol and some drugs have depressive effects on the brain. Misuse of these substances can bring on serious depression. That’s especially true for some teens who already have a tendency to depression because of their biology, family history, or other life stressors.
The problem can be made worse because many people who are depressed turn to alcohol or drugs as an escape. But they may not realize that the depressive effects alcohol and drugs have on the brain can actually intensify depression in the long run.
In addition to their depressive effects, alcohol and drugs alter a person's judgment. They interfere with the ability to assess risk, make good choices, and think of solutions to problems. Many suicideattempts occur when a person is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
This doesn’t mean that everyone who is depressed or who has an alcohol or drug problem will try to kill themselves, of course. But these conditions — especially both together — increase a person’s risk for suicide.
Suicide Warning Signs
Suicide Is Not Always Planned
Sometimes a depressed person plans a suicide in advance. Many times, though, suicide attempts happen impulsively, in a moment of feeling desperately upset. A situation like a breakup, a big fight with a parent, an unintended pregnancy, being outed by someone else, or being victimized in any way can cause someone to feel desperately upset. Often, a situation like this, on top of an existing depression, acts like the final straw.
Some people who attempt suicidemean to die and some don't. For some, a suicide attempt is a way to express deep emotional pain. They can’t say how they feel, so, for them, attempting suicide feels like the only way to get their message across. Sadly, even when a suicide attempt is a cry for help and the person doesn’t mean to die, there’s no way to control it. Many people who really didn’t mean to kill themselves end up dead or critically ill.
Warning Signs
There are often signs that someone may be thinking about or planning a suicide attempt. Here are some of them:
* anger
* purposelessness(no sense of purpose or belonging)
* trapped (feeling like there is no way out)
* hopelessness (nothing to live for , guilty and no hope for optimism)
* talking about suicide or death in general
* talking about "going away"
* referring to things they "won’t be needing," and giving away possessions
* recklessness( high risk-taking behavior)
* dramatic mood change
* pulling away from friends or family and losing the desire to go out
* having no desire to take part in favorite things or activities
* having trouble concentrating or thinking clearly
* experiencing changes in eating or sleeping habits
* engaging in self-destructive behavior (drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or cutting, for example)
What if This Is You?
If you have been thinking about suicide, get help right away. Depression is powerful. You can’t wait and hope that your mood might improve. When a person has been feeling down for a long time, it's hard to step back and be objective.
