Complications
Eating disorders should not be ignored. If left untreated, they can lead to many complications, some of which are life-threatening. The longer eating disorders go untreated and the more severe they become, the more likely the person with the disorder is to experience very serious complications.
The complications of eating disorders include:
- Heart disease and high blood pressure
- Depression
- Suicidal thoughts and behaviors
- Absence of menstruation (amenorrhea) or altered menstrual periods
- Bone loss
- Stunted growth
- Nerve damage
- Seizures
- Digestive problems, including bowel irregularities
- Tooth decay (from poor nutrition and from continuous vomiting)
- Ruptured esophagus
- Type 2 diabetes
- Gallbladder disease
Contact
For extreme emergency (immediate threat of harm), call 911.
If you have an urgent need to speak with someone, please call our psychiatric emergency line at
312-926-8100, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you or a loved one needs help with an eating disorder, please call one of our psychotherapists who specialize in eating disorders at 312-458-9973 to schedule a consultation. Your calls will typically be answered the next business day.