Although not an official medical term, drunkorexia is a word that is best used to describe the concerning mixture of addiction and eating disorders.  In a feature article about drunkorexia that appeared in The New York Times, it described people who engage in drunkorexia as "starving themselves, with a cocktail in hand." 

Students in College

College-age students are the largest group that admits to engaging in drunkorexia.  In an article that was published in the September 2009 issue of Behavioral Pharmacology, of those in that group, a high portion were women that wanted to keep their calories consumed low.

• Girls that binge drink and have bulimia nervosa have a higher chance of engaging in drunkorexia. 
• For women that suffer from bulimia, about 40 percent also say that they have had alcohol and drug problems as well.
• Those who suffer from bulimia are more likely to engage in drunkorexia than those who are anorexic.

The problem of drunkorexia is not new, but its prevalence is growing.  Healthcare professionals are increasingly aware of the hazardous risks linked to drunkorexia and the epidemic is now being reported in the media.

As more and more people are suffering from eating disorders, those in the professional field are observing an increase in the number of those with substance abuse issues as well.  For those that engage in drunkorexia to lower calories consumed, the sufferer has an obsession with their weight and with being skinny.  The critical component in cases of drunkorexia is the fear of gaining weight.

Health Risks

For those that engage in drunkorexia, many have no idea what it inevitably does to their body physically. 

The reason that drunkorexia is so dangerous to your body lies in the harm of drinking on an empty stomach.  With food in your body, the absorption of alcohol is slowed down.  Without food, there is an absence of a buffer preventing you from becoming quickly intoxicated.  What this ultimately means is that you will get intoxicated much quicker.

This swift intoxication may create numerous health dangers, like alcohol poisoning and memory blackouts.  You also are more likely to become sick afterwards if you drink on an empty stomach.

Women have a higher likelihood to suffer physically from drunkorexia due to their anatomy.  In their bodies, women produce less of the alcohol metabolizing enzyme than men do.  Therefore, it gives them a greater chance of health problems and blackouts.

To add to these health problems are the ones associated with drinking alcohol, which is a toxin, itself.  Drinking alcohol leads to a variety of health problems and illnesses.  This includes the risk of developing arthritis, heart disease, cancer, liver disease, kidney disease, and obesity.  There are also links to psychological problems, like insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

Needless to say, drunkorexia is incredibly dangerous.  Those that engage in it should seek professional treatment before the problem becomes too severe.  There are many options available, such as residential programs, hospitalization, and outpatient therapy.