The phenomenon of drunkorexia, not eating because you want to drink alcohol

Drinking alcoholic beverages is often used as a stress reliever alternative on weekends with limited consumption. In fact, there are some people who make liquor their "main food" or better known by the term drunkorexia.

Seriously? Come on, get to know what this phenomenon is and what harm is it to the body!

What is that drunkorexia?

Basically, drunkorexia is a popular term among young people which describes someone limiting their calorie intake in order to drink alcoholic beverages.

The term, which has not been formalized by the health authorities, comes from a person's fear of gaining weight when drinking alcohol. This phenomenon often occurs in women who are still in college. However, it is possible that men also experience it.

Generally, people who have drunkorexia won't eat before he goes to a party or bar. This is so that they can balance calories when consuming alcohol.

In some cases, this behavior not only limits calorie intake, but also excessive exercise, even after drinking. Although not an official diagnosis, this phenomenon has the risk of causing eating disorders, such as anorexia, and can be dangerous for the health of the body.

Cause of appearance drunkorexia

Actually, a phenomenon drunkorexia this has been around for a long time, especially in Australia. This is evidenced by research conducted by the University of South of Australia. Researchers from the study tried to analyze the drinking patterns of 479 Australian female students aged 18-24 years.

The results of the study showed that there were at least 82% of participants with drunkorexia for the last three months. In fact, more than 28% of them purposely do not eat, drink alcoholic beverages without sugar, and exercise to reduce the calories digested.

This research is also divided into two parts. First, the researchers measured the participants' reported drinking habits. Second, they tried to examine participants' mindsets related to lack of self-control and social isolation.

In fact, both of these factors have a tendency to be the reason why drunkorexia appeared in several people.

They feel this behavior is done as an effort to manage anxiety. In fact, not a few also drink alcohol because they hope to be accepted in a group or culture.

Therefore, it is not surprising that female students who participated in this study showed dependence on alcohol. Apart from losing weight, they do not want to be excluded from their social environment.

Drunkorexia

Although this behavior is often encountered abroad, it is not impossible for the Indonesian people to experience the same thing. So that you and those closest to you are not at risk of developing a disease as a result drunkorexia, there are several ways you can do to prevent it.

1. Eat regularly

One way to prevent behavior drunkorexia is to eat regularly. The reason is, limited food intake before drinking alcohol can make your stomach too hungry and you tend to overeat even though it's late at night.

If you are going to the bar or to a party, try to eat in portions that are not too large. This is so that the stomach is not too hungry and reduces the risk of overeating.

The body needs carbohydrates, protein, and fat every day to keep it functioning. Skipping meals so you can drink alcohol will actually reduce the function of other organs in the body.

2. Knowing the limits

Apart from eating regularly, preventing behavior drunkorexia can also be done by knowing the limits on one's own body. This means that you need to plan and ensure your alcohol intake that will be drunk that day so that it can be monitored properly.

Don't forget to stay hydrated with non-alcoholic drinks, such as regular mineral water. The more alcohol you consume, the higher your risk of making careless decisions that can lead to injury.

Therefore, you also need to check your blood alcohol level so you can find out what limits you have on yourself.

3. Choose the type of drink carefully

Fortunately some drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, have lower calorie levels than others. Behavior drunkorexia actually can be prevented by limiting the number of drinks consumed so that calorie intake is maintained.

If you are worried about your calorie intake, double check what type of alcohol to consume. For example, drinking alcohol mixed with beer will increase the number of calories in it. So, maybe you can start choosing the types of drinks wisely.

4. Exercise regularly

For those of you who are accustomed to limiting your calorie intake for the sake of drinking alcohol and exercising too extreme, you should start reducing these habits. Exercise is important, but it needs to be balanced with a healthy diet.

Danger from drunkorexia can be avoided by starting to take time out for exercise, such as hiking or just plain walking. Regular exercise and regular eating make the body healthier and fitter, so that it can reduce the risk of the dangers of drinking excessive alcohol.

5. Seek help

If you have tried various ways to avoid drunkorexia and still unsuccessful, it is time to seek help. Try to start looking for advice and encouragement from other people who support you in living a healthy life, such as family or friends.

Although until now there has been no specific support group for this drunkorexiaeating disorders and alcohol abuse rehabilitation groups have also helped you get out of this phenomenon.