Laxative Abuse

Help for Laxative Abuse

What is Laxative Abuse?

Laxative abuse is when someone drastically tries to lose or control their weight by taking large amounts of laxatives or diuretics. In most cases, this individual is also suffering from another eating disorder like anorexia, bulimia or binge eating.

In many cases, an individual will take large quantities of laxatives after a binge eating episode in hopes that it will flush all of the calories out of their body before they can be absorbed. This belief is a myth. While the laxatives may cause some weight to be lost early-on, the result is only temporary and is comprised of water loss, not body fat. This will often result in the individual taking more and more laxatives in an effort to match the original weight loss experience. When this occurs, it will actually aggravate a number of other painful laxative abuse symptoms like acute constipation and edema.

Often times, the individual will find themselves in a winless situation as they use the laxatives to emotionally feel thinner; however, over time, the laxatives will cause the body to actually hold water, thus making them feel heavier. This will typically result with the individual feeling depressed and ultimately using alcohol or drugs to help deal with their emotions and the powerful laxative abuse symptoms.

Withdrawal from Laxative Abuse

Withdrawing from laxative abuse is a complicated issue. In fact, it can be difficult to predict how each patient may react. The most common laxative withdrawal symptoms you can expect to experience are fluid retention and constipation. You may also feel bloated and experience a slight temporary increase in your weight. Just how long these symptoms will last is uncertain. Some patients experience them for two days whereas other patients may have them for two months. The average length of time patients experience withdrawal symptoms from laxative abuse is about one to three weeks. For these reasons, a residential eating disorder treatment program is best suited to assist you in minimizing any of the side effects of laxative abuse withdrawal.

If you require assistance in locating a safe and effective eating disorder program able to help you with laxative abuse, call 1-800-542-4610 and we will be happy to assist you.

Medical Complications from Laxative Abuse

Laxative abuse is very taxing on the body and as such, it can result in a number of health complications. The severity of the following medical conditions is dependant on a number of criteria, specifically, the types and amounts of laxatives used as well as the length of time they were being used. The most common health conditions that arise from laxative abuse include:

• Severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalances
• Severe constipation or chronic diarrhea
• Edema (swelling)
• Blood in the stools which may cause anemia
• Laxative dependency
• Laxative abuse may result in an increased risk of colon cancer

These medical complications should not be taken lightly as they can cause severe bodily harm.

Treating Laxative Abuse

With proper treatment, you can recover from laxative abuse. The road may be long and difficult, but you are not alone. There are a number of facilities nationwide that specialize in eating disorders and cases involving laxative abuse, so finding the right one for your situation is critical.

If you have another health-related issue, like alcoholism or a drug addiction, then it is recommended that you seek treatment in a dual diagnosis facility. A dual diagnosis facility includes a team of physicians and staff specially trained for handling complicated cases featuring a number of concerns. A quality facility should also feature a strong family therapy component, a registered dietician and a psychiatrist. If a drug or alcohol addiction is also present, then the facility should include its own detox and continuing rehabilitation program.