Bulimia can be described as a disorder whereby the sufferer binge-eats and then uses some extreme measures such as vomiting to try and rid the body of the food eaten to prevent any weight gain. The symptoms of bulimia include a detrimental focus on weight or body shape, a sense of being unable to control food amounts eaten, taking laxatives or throwing up after eating (especially large amounts), and exercising to the extreme.

Bulimia

Individuals who are bulimic often go through cycles of weight loss and weight gain and can suffer from depression, dehydration, fatigue, anxiety, damage to the gums and/or teeth and persistent diarrhea. There is also the chance of developing problems with the bowels or kidney’s.

Bulimia is a disorder that is very often linked to stress, a low self esteem and emotional issues. It is generally thought to be more common than anorexia but at the same time is less noticeable because individuals who suffer from it usually remain at their average body weight. This is why the condition can go unnoticed for a long period of time.

Gender and the sexual orientation of an individual have been found to be linked to whether someone has an eating disorder.

An anxiety disorder can loosely be described as a condition where feelings of anxiety can get in the way of normal, everyday life. Many things can cause or even be classed as an anxiety disorder, and these can include phobia, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic attacks and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Anxiety attacks can be caused by a variety of conditions, both mental and physical. On the mental side of things, problems such as alcohol dependence, depression, substance abuse (including drugs, nicotine and caffeine) and medicine withdrawal can all cause anxiety. Physically, a person could be affected due to illnesses or cosmetic reasons such as appearance. It can also be brought on by stress due to traumatic events like bereavement.

Anxiety

There are some physical symptoms attributed to being anxious and these occur due to the body’s natural “fight or flight” response due to the release of adrenaline. These can include dry mouth, diarrhoea, tightness in the chest, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, shortness of breath, shaking, the need to urinate more frequently and swallowing difficulty.

A few psychological symptoms associated with anxiety include uneasiness, insomnia, irritability, tiredness, lack of concentration and a fear of “going mad”. Sometimes, when anxiety disorders and other conditions such as schizophrenia, depression or bipolar disorder occur together, suicide or self-harm can often be the regrettable outcome.

Hepatitis C is a common infection and although there is currently no vaccine for protection against infection, there are effective treatments available. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that almost 3% of the world’s population is infected with chronic hepatitis C, with four million new cases reported each year. Because it can take years or even decades for symptoms to present themselves, many people are actually unaware that they have the condition. For this reason, by the time these people do become ill, considerable damage would have already been done to the liver – damage that could be prevented with early diagnosis.

Possible symptoms of hepatitis C (when they do appear), include fatigue; weight loss; joint pain; loss of appetite; anxiety; nausea; flu-like symptoms; and, alcohol intolerance along with pain in the liver area. Fatigue is the most common symptom reported and unlike hepatitis A and B, the hepatitis C virus doesn’t cause jaundice.

The virus is normally transmitted via blood-to-blood contact, with the sharing of needles and unsterilized equipment used in tattooing, etc, all to blame for the spread. Sharing toothbrushes and razors can also transmit the disease, as can blood transfusions in countries where blood screening is not up to standard.

Chronic hepatitis C sufferers should be seen be a liver specialist in a medical institution, and they may recommend drug treatments and therapies to treat the condition.